Powers that be
by jade-fae
Summary: Step through the door to ADVENTURE! Harry Ron and Hermione find themselves flung into a whole new world with whole new roles and whole new rules. But don't worry. The dwarf on the unicorn will tell them where to go.
1. Prologue

Prologue  
Adventure awaits

…

Bland, boring, non-descript. The room was a simple box with wooden paneled walls. The desk was the only furniture. The man standing behind it, the sole occupant. He wasn't aloud to sit. It was part of his punishment. That and the boredom. Constant, unending boredom.

He had no idea how long he'd been doing it, this punishment. It was impossible to keep track of time. No clock. And after the first century time stopped meaning anything anyway.

There was only one escape from the boredom. He hated it though. It just reminded him of what he couldn't do, where he couldn't be. So, when the three teenagers walked in he couldn't help but scowl a little.

"Are you sure you saw him go in here?" asked the bushy haired female.

The one with glasses looked around confused, "I thought this was it."

"Don't look like much" said the gangly ginger next to him.

It took them a moment to even notice his presence behind the desk. Unsurprising, he did blend in with the rest of the room.

"Oh, um, excuse me. Have you seen anyone come through here recently" asked the female.

The man behind the desk stared back blankly. Even if he had, he probably wouldn't have told her. It wasn't going to get rid of them any faster, was it.

"Welcome travelers from a far-off land. Prepare to take your first steps on, adventure."

His speech had been delivered in a perfect deadpan right up to the end where it had turned into a heavy sigh.

"Adventure what? No no no, we just, I mean, we'll just be leaving" the bushy haired girl rambled.

The three turned to escape, only to discover the door they'd come in was gone.

"Harry, where's the door?" asked the ginger.

"Your guess is good as mine" said the green-eyed boy with surprising calm, at least compared to the female who was molesting the wall in search of something that simply wasn't there.

"The door to adventure lies in this direction" the man said, absently gesturing to a door that hadn't been there when they'd come in.

"We don't want adventure, we want to go" said the female a bit shrilly.

Acting as though she hadn't spoken, "Now, step forward and choose your class" he said like the idea couldn't have bored him more.

A vertical row of shingles behind him shifted, revealing a list of 'classes' for them to choose from.

"What's this then?" asked the ginger.

"Before you begin your adventure you must choose your adventuring class" the man droned, "your personal statistics will affect the classes you may select and how you will grow within that class."

"Don't" said the female, "it must be some sort of trick."

The ginger looked at his companion, then to the man behind the desk. The man saw the gingers eyes go wide in a moment of understanding before he approached the counter despite his companion's protests.

"Class is it? Alright, let's go with, Wizard."

The word on the wall glowed briefly before turning red.

"Denied."

"What! What for?" the ginger demanded.

"Insufficient intelligence."

The ginger gaped until he heard his friend snickering behind his back.

"Aw shut up Harry" he groused, which didn't make the green-eyed teen shut up.

"Fine, no wizard, how bout, Rouge? I'm very roughish."

Apparently not, as the writing once again turned red.

"Insufficient charisma."

The ginger ground his teeth, pretending he couldn't hear his friend chortling.

"Fighter!"

The writing glowed. The ginger glared. There was a ding as the writing turned green and a card popped out of the desk.

"Class accepted, next" the man said, handing Ron his card.

The green-eyed teen came forward after the ginger stepped aside. The female glared suspiciously while her friend considered his options. The man behind the desk knew she was going to be trouble.

"What's a Druid?" the teen asked.

One 'ding' and a card later, "You are" the man said, "next."

The green-eyed teen hung his head in shame, accepting his card and joining the ginger who was trying, not very hard, to hide his own snickering.

"Oh shut up Ron."

The man behind the desk looked at the female. The female glared back.

"Next" he repeated blandly.

"No" she stated firmly, "I don't know what you're playing at here, but I'll have no part of it."

The man behind the desk rolled his eyes, "Just choose a class."

"No, I won't, and you can't make me."

The man shook his head. He hated when they were difficult.

"Please, pick a class."

Nothing.

"Fine" he growled, the first sign of emotion he'd shown since they'd arrived, "Bard!"

Slamming his fist against the wall there was a ding, followed by a card which he threw at her with deadly accuracy.

"Hey now, wait a minute" she protested, trying to peel the card from her coat where it now clung.

"Congratulations brave heroes. Now go forth and take your first step on the road of adventure."

The door by the two boys opened and after a shooing gesture from the man they passed through.

"Well" he said expectantly when the female didn't follow.

"I told you I won…"

Her refusal was cut short by the slightest gesture which sent her flying through the door, closing after her with an ominous boom.

"Finally," the man sighed, "thought they'd never leave."

If there was one thing worse than the boredom it was the reminder of everything he was missing out on. Compared to that the boredom was a balm to his tortured old soul.

Why couldn't he just have an eagle eat out his liver or something? That had to be better than this.


	2. Chapter 01

Chapter 01  
Adventure begins

…

A blinding light shone as he passed through the doorway. When he could see again, he found himself in a forest. Trees and bushes and everywhere you looked, green.

What a letdown.

"This is adventure?" said Ron.

"It is a step down from the usual" Harry agreed, "unless there's some giant spiders lurking about."

A shiver ran down Ron's spine, "Not funny Harry."

Harry chuckled till a scream from behind heralded the arrival of their other friend who came flying at them like a bushy cannonball.

"Look Ron, it's Hermione" said Harry from beneath the bushy-haired girl.

"Get her bloody arse offa my face" he complained.

With a heave and a ho their female friend was unceremoniously tossed into the detritus. Naturally, she was quite put out by this.

"Was that really necessary?" she asked in a testy growl.

"Your bloody heavy" said Ron.

"What!"

A brilliant flash preempted the shouting match and all three teens strained to see the figure that emerged from it.

"Greetings and salutations brave adventurer's."

The voice boomed like it came from a massive and powerful individual. Then the light vanished, leaving the speaker in plain view.

There were no words.

"Have you traveled far?" the man asked.

"Harry, am I seeing things, or is there a black dwarf sitting on a unicorn in front of us?" asked Ron, not sure if he should be addressing the possible aberration of his imagination.

"You see him too?" said Harry.

Ron nodded, "Am I the only one who thinks that's bloody wicked?"

"Oh honestly!" Hermione exclaimed, clearly less impressed than Ron, "Who are you?" she demanded.

"Ah of course. Introductions" declared the foreshortened man, "I am Argus Bartholomew Cornelius Dagon Ephraim Frederick Gregory Hansel Ioulus Jacobo Kyle Lenard Matthew Norbert Otto Patrick Quentin Roy Sally Thomas Ubert Vole Wayne Xanathar Yancy Zarchon, the third."

The three teens stared.

"But you may call me Dungeon Master."

The three teens continued to stare.

"Crimeny, and I thought Dumbledore had a lot of names" said Ron.

"It's worse than that" observed Harry, "he said he was the third."

"You mean there were two other guys called, um… shite!"

"Don't feel bad" said the dwarf, "even I forget a few of them sometimes."

What a nice guy, Ron thought.

"What do you want?" obviously, Hermione didn't agree.

"Is she always this cranky?" asked the dwarf, which made Ron snicker.

Being within reach he got a smacking for it which left Harry to ask.

"What brings you here, Dungeon Master?"

"I should think that was obvious under the circumstances" he said without mocking.

"Pretend it isn't" said Harry.

"I am here to guide you on your grand quest."

"Grand quest huh?"

"Oh no!" Hermione interjected, "we are not going on any quest, we are going home."

"Of course you are" said the dwarf nodding agreeably, "eventually."

"Now wait a second…" Hermione shouted.

"Nonsense, we've wasted enough time already" he declared turning to Ron, "First, the fighter."

"Huh, oh me, right" stammered Ron, stepping forward.

"Hold out your card."

Presenting his card, the unicorn bent down and touched it with his horn. In a flash the card vanished and Ron discovered something much heavier in his hand.

"Whoa!"

It was a simple short sword, plain but well made, he thought. A small shield was strapped to his other arm and when he went to scratch his head he discovered a leather helmet which went with his new leather armor.

"Not bad, not bad" the dwarf observed, "Bard?"

"Oh no."

The unicorn stamped its hoof in irritation which caused Hermione to jump.

"I wouldn't make him chase you young lady. That could end very badly I think."

Hesitantly she held out her card.

Events repeated themselves and Hermione was dressed and outfitted for her new role as bard. To say the least she was not impressed. Giving the simple dress and hooded cloak a disgusted once over she held up the box with all the strings, "What is this supposed to be?"

"You hit the strings and it makes noise" quipped Ron.

"You would prefer a different instrument?" the dwarf asked.

"I don't play any instrument!"

"Ah, well, never too late to learn" he said reaching into his robe and handing her a small booklet.

"Wass at?" queried Ron.

"A music book" she said through gritted teeth.

"You mean there's a kind of book you don't li… ow!"

"And last, but not least, the druid."

"Question" Harry interjected, "what is a druid?"

The dwarf looked thoughtful for a moment then reached into his robes. Producing a hard cover book, he paged through till he found what he was looking for.

"Here it is" he said, tearing out three pages and handing them to Harry, "just burn them when you're done."

Harry nodded accepting the papers, then turned to the unicorn who looked back expectantly.

"Sorry" he said, holding up his card for the magical equine.

The unicorn nodded, touching its horn to Harry's card.

A flash, and Harry held a staff in his hand. His cloths replaced by simpler garments in earthy tones.

"Now, the animal companion. Not much of a druid without… oh!"

The dwarf's exclamation was prompted by the appearance of a beautiful white owl that landed lightly on Harry's shoulder and began preening his hair.

"Hello Hedwig" he said, submitting to her attentions without complaint.

"Well that was easy. Right then" said the Dwarf.

"Now what?" asked Ron.

"Now you go, that way."

The three teens looked in the direction the dwarf pointed.

"What's that way?" asked Harry.

"A small village" he replied.

"And what are we supposed to find in this small village?" asked Hermione with a suspicious look.

"That, is a surprise."

Ron laughed at Hermione's expression then instantly wished he hadn't when she began hitting him.

"Fare thee well adventurer's. I shall see you again soon" the dwarf declared.

And, with yet another flash, he was gone.

"What a flashy guy" quipped Ron, "Ow, hey, stoppit" Hermione did not appreciate his observation.

"This is not the time for stupid jokes" she shouted.

"Well when is the time for, ow, ow, stoppit."

Shooting him a withering glare, "We need to find a way out of here."

"Alright, let's go 'that' way" said Ron.

"No!"

"Well why not?"

"Do you know what's in that direction?" she asked.

"A small village" he replied, "weren't you listening to the tiny person?"

"Ronald" she said in a warning tone.

"Well what's your idea then?"

"My idea is to get us home!"

"How?"

"I don't know" she screamed, "but if we put our heads together, I'm sure we'll come up with something."

And by put 'our' heads together what she meant was shut up and do as I tell you. He'd been listening to her long enough he'd started to figure out what her words actually meant.

"I say we go that way" said Ron.

"Well I say we go nowhere till we have some sort of plan."

"Why? So we can ignore it?"

He was pushing her buttons and he knew it. He also knew the longer she stood there yelling at him the longer it would take them to catch up when she realized.

"Harry, what do you think?"

That Harry wasn't there.

"Harry?"

"Guess he got bored and wandered off" said Ron innocently.

Ron watched her face run the gamut of emotions before settling on angry. Big surprise.

"That…BOY!" she exclaimed.

Muttering invectives she went stomping after her green-eyed friend. Quietly, Ron trailed behind and tried not to whistle, too loud.

…

strolling through the wood with a spring in his step Harry smiled. It was happening again, and he was more than ready for it. Like the giant man who invaded a lighthouse and told him he was a wizard, the black dwarf on the unicorn was setting him on a brand-new adventure.

Good thing to. The old one was getting far too heavy.

Sure, just going where some stranger told him to go made it seem like he had no agency in his own life, and yeah it did, but so what else was new. People had been telling him what to do and where to go for as long as he could remember.

The ones at Hogwarts had generally been nicer about it than the Dursley's, excluding Snape and Umbridge, but that didn't change the fact that all his greatest 'accomplishments' were done at the behest of other people.

"And look where that's gotten me" walking through the woods, talking to myself.

"Prek."

Well, maybe not, he thought.

"Whatcha think Hedwig? We've sure stepped in it this time, haven't we?"

"Preck?"

"I don't know. But when has that ever stopped me."

"Prick, preck."

"Yeah, but I guess we'll see. First, lets find out what 'surprise' this village has to offer."

His owl bobbed her ascent and with a final "Preck" took to the wing.

"Glad she's adjusting to this" he mused as the trees parted and he got his first look at 'the village'.

What little there was to look at.

A small group of wooden cottages huddled together like frightened children. Animals milled about in small pens looking skittish and it didn't take Harry long to figure out why. The minotaur wasn't being subtle when it smashed through one of the cottages.

Surprise, thought Harry.

The brutish creature stood at least seven feet tall. A short coat of reddish hair covered its bulging muscles and his two curved horns glinted in the late afternoon light.

The minotaur didn't seem to notice Harry. Turning back around it charged through the cottage again.

Harry wasn't sure what to do at first till the sound of screaming drove him to action. Dashing through the mangled cottage he found the minotaur smashing more things with a huge double-bladed axe.

A woman lay on the ground nearby looking terrified while several others cowered around a gaggle of small children. A single old man stood defiantly with his pitchfork pointed at the beast man.

He stood no chance against the minotaur, Harry knew it and so did the minotaur who gave a disdainful snort before stalking toward the brave but foolish old man.

Without thinking Harry picked up a piece of wood and chucked it at the minotaur. The debris bounced off the back of its head and caused it to flinch. It wasn't hurt, but he'd certainly gotten its attention if the murderous glare were any indication.

"Great, now what?" he hadn't really thought past that point.

And the minotaur had no plan for him to do so, bellowing its battle cry and charging. Familiar with the tactic, Harry waited till the last second before diving out of the way, a difficult maneuver with his new staff in hand but he managed it without looking like to much of a fool.

The minotaur made no attempt to stop after his miss, instead running a large arc before zeroing in on Harry again.

He was no more ready this time and simply dodged. A mistake as the minotaur predicted the move and at the last second took a swing as he was passing by. It only clipped Harry but given the size and speed, the force of that clipping knocked him to the ground, hard.

Dazed, Harry looked up as the beast man turned his goring horns toward him.

"Gryffindor!"

The absurd battle cry surprised both Harry and the minotaur, though no more than the appearance of Ronald Bilius Weasley when he jumped on the minotaur's back.

"Gotcha!" he declared prematurely.

The minotaur begged to differ and Ron hung on for dear life as the beast man began to thrash about wildly trying to dismount its rider. His grip was at best precarious and the minotaur was keen to demonstrate this, tossing him about like a screaming ginger flail.

"Harry! Do somethiiiiiiing" he cried as he lost his grip and went flying.

Back on his feet, Harry rushed the minotaur, swinging his staff with all his strength. A loud crack, and Harry was afraid he'd broken his weapon. He hadn't, nor had he broken the minotaur. It took a step toward him and stumbled. Stunned, Harry thought. A better result than he had any right to hope for.

While the minotaur fought for balance Harry went to retrieve his friend, "Woah, what a ride" he mumbled as Harry helped him to his feet.

"You alright?"

"Think so, you?"

"Not for much longer" said Harry returning his attention the minotaur.

"How are we supposed to stop that thing?"

"You have the sword."

Ron looked down at his belt astonished, "Oh yeah, forgot about that."

Given he'd only had it for twenty minutes Harry understood. He'd still tease him about it later, but for now.

"We need to do it quick before he recovers."

"Too late" said Ron when a bovine battle cry rang through the air.

"Yeah."

"That's alright. Sounded too much like a plan anyway."

Drawing his sword, Ron rushed the horned cow man, leaving Harry shaking his head. Not much else he could do. He had no idea how he was supposed to fight. What did druids even do.

…short pause…

"Oh duh!" he exclaimed, reaching into his pocket for the papers he'd been given.

He skimmed over the first page, then the second till he got about half way down.

"Uh huh, hmm, yeah that should work. Now just gotta…"

"Harry! Little help here" shouted Ron, who'd been backed into a corner by the superior combatant.

Harry had a panicked moment, unable to cast and too far for a desperate rush. Ron was saved when a white missile descended on the minotaur's head, talons flashing.

The minotaur dropped its axe as it fought to fend off this new assailant. Seeing Hedwig had matters under control, Harry closed his eyes and concentrated. The instructions said it was a simple spell, but he was working with unfamiliar tools in an unfamiliar place, in the middle of a fight.

He tried to drown out all the noises and focus on the spell. Slowly the world faded away and his ears were filled with an incessant buzzing. His eyes flew open, focusing on the minotaur.

Gripping his staff, he shouted, "SWARM!" before thrusting it at his target.

There was an odd influx of air and the minotaur was engulfed in vicious biting flies. Hedwig retreated as the minotaur began panicking in earnest.

The swarm turned out to be just the turning point they needed. Harry toppled the minotaur with a powerful strike to the back of his knee which allowed Ron to get on top and shove his sword through the minotaur's throat.

There was a short struggle as the minotaur tried to remove Ron and the blade. Blood spurted from the new hole like a weak fountain, then it was over, all was still.

"Is… is he dead?" Ron panted.

"Looks like it" said Harry.

"Well, that wasn't so hard."

Harry smiled at his ginger friend, "Don't jinx it."

They laughed a bit manically now that the danger had passed but it didn't last. This wasn't there first brush with death after all.

"By the way, where's Hermione?"

"Preck!"

Harry's owl drew both boys attention to a large barrel and the odd bush poking out over it.

"Hermione?"

The bush peered over the barrel, "Is it over?"

"Since when do you hide during a fight?" asked Harry.

"Since someone replaced my wand with a musical instrument" she snapped, "do you know what that makes me?"

"Squishy meat" Ron offered.

Before she could tear into the ginger, a young woman approached, "You, you killed that horrible beast."

"Uh, yah, I spose we did, didn't we" said Ron.

"You saved us" said another girl, appearing out of nowhere.

"Well, ya know" Ron tried to act nonchalant while looking for something to say.

Harry just chuckled when the rest of the people mobbed them, focusing mostly on Ron. Harry didn't mind, and it kept Hermione from yelling at them. Overall this new adventure was starting out pretty good.


	3. Chapter 02

Chapter 02  
Adventure continues

…

A cool breeze wafted through the early morning air, stirring an excitable cock who saw the first hint of morning and declared to the world that it was time to get up. Stupid attention seeking bird.

Ron Weasley grumbled an expletive at the noisy fowl who refused to just shut up already, "Gonna strangle that stupid rooster."

He heard a chuckle off to his left and saw Harry already fully dressed, "I wouldn't waste my time were I you" he said, "always more where he came from."

"Spose that's where Malfoys come from too?"

Harry snickered, "I've always thought of him as more of a peacock myself."

"He is femmy enough, isn't he?"

"That he is" Harry agreed, "now come on, work to do."

Ron groaned and tried to hide under his little blanket. Work, why did it have to be work?

Because the nice people they'd saved from the minotaur weren't going to just let them stay for free. Looking around their tiny village Ron supposed they probably couldn't afford to.

Breakfast was a small, simple affair. Porridge and a couple boiled eggs with a small handful of tart green berries then it was out to the woodpile. He'd made descent progress the previous day, he thought, but there was still a lot to do. He wouldn't finish by dinner but that was okay. He didn't think anyone expected him to.

He waved to Harry as he headed out of the village with the kids, old folks, and a dozen baskets. They were off to forage, whatever that meant. Harry had been excited, but Ron had thought it sounded too much like work. He was already doing that. He didn't need to get lost in the woods too.

"Good morning Ron."

Ron grinned. Looking up he found the farmer's daughter standing by the woodpile, looking all innocent and bashful.

"Morning Katie" he greeted, "how are you."

"I'm fine. How are you?" she asked, coyly batting her eyes.

This was the other reason he was glad he'd not gone with Harry. She'd be back and forth past the woodpile all day. As views went it was much better than a bunch of stupid trees.

In fact, if he played his cards right, she might even let him do more than just look.

…

"I found one!"

"I found one too!"

Harry smiled as the children ran about collecting nuts and berries for their baskets. All of this was new to Harry and he was learning a great deal just watching and listening.

"And that was the time he got that terrible rash on his bum. Served him right if you ask me."

Of course, not everything he learned was useful, but the old ones were bursting with experience, all of which they were happy to share. Harry thought they were just glad to have someone willing to listen to them. Which he did, even while he picked mushrooms with the assistance of Hedwig's ultra-keen eye.

"Oh, not that one, that one's mighty poisonous."

Looking suspiciously at the fungus, Harry bent down for a close examination.

"What's the difference" he asked, unable to discern one himself.

"The caps not so bulbous, it's obvious if you look underneath."

Breaking it off mid-stem he flipped it over. Sure enough, rather than curving in it was nearly flat with fluted veins.

"That's amazing" said Harry, "I never would have noticed."

The old woman beamed, "Been doing this a long time I 'ave. Got lots of practice."

It was good advice, Harry supposed, practice that is. If the disaster that was the D.A. had taught him anything it was the value of practice.

He'd been a pretty mediocre caster in most respects, if he was being honest with himself. It took training the D.A. for him to finally understand why. With few exceptions he rarely practiced a spell after performing it in class. Having practiced the same few spells over and over ad nauseum for months, he'd discovered just how much he was missing out on by doing this.

After the Department of Mysteries, he'd swore to himself things would be different. Then he'd been pulled into another world and fought an angry minotaur. Obviously, things weren't going quite as he'd anticipated. But he could work with it. He would work with it.

This new kind of magic was a fresh start of sorts. An opportunity to put his new mindset to work. To make the most out of what he had.

Like mushrooms.

"Whatcha doin there?" the old woman asked.

Harry smiled as he plucked a few of the poisonous mushrooms and tucked them away in his shirt pocket.

"Just in case I need to poison something" he said, thinking particularly of that big minotaur.

"So long as it's not me" she quipped.

The two of them had a laugh at the little joke. Harry was still grinning when they stopped for lunch.

Sometime later, as the old ones rested and the young ones grew restless, Harry noticed his owl trying to get his attention. She hopped about excitedly, turning her head between him and some unseen point in the forest.

Sensing his winged friend's urgency, he silently took up his staff and gestured for her to lead on. The owl bobbed once then flew off, Harry following with appropriate haste. She led him through the wood to a small glade where he found a familiar unicorn grazing.

"Ah, Druid."

The dark-skinned dwarf sat with his back to a tree, smoking from a long thin pipe, "Dungeon Master" Harry greeted.

"Come, sit" the small man said, patting the ground next to him.

Glancing once at the unicorn, who paid him no mind at all, he leant his staff against the tree and joined the dwarf on the ground. For a few moments they sat in silence, the dwarf puffing on his pipe, Harry shifting around trying to get comfortable.

"So, how was the surprise?" the dwarf asked.

"Bully" said Harry, which made the dwarf laugh, "did you put him there?"

The dwarf shook his head, "I'm only a guide. I don't create problems, just point you in their direction."

"Easy job" said Harry.

"In a way, yes" he said, though Harry thought his expression betrayed some conflict with his words, "Adapting to your role?"

"Still trying to figure it out" said Harry, "those papers you gave me helped but I'm still not sure I really understand."

"You'll get it" the dwarf said confidently, "because what you make of it is what it's meant to be for you."

Harry gave the dwarf a quizzical look, "Come again?"

"Druid is just a point to start from, a guideline if you will. As you awaken your powers you will naturally adapt to them. In other words, focus on what you've got. The rest will sort itself out in time."

"Ah" said Harry, still not sure he understood.

"Don't worry, you already have experience with magic. That should help make up for some of the experience you're lacking as a druid. She can help too of course."

"Prek!"

Harry smiled at his owl, perched nearby, watching over him as she usually was.

"She's quite amazing you know" the dwarf said.

"Yeah, I know."

"Never seen a creature just cross over dimensions like that. Didn't even know it was possible. Hmm."

"Probably shouldn't tell her that" said Harry, "wouldn't want her getting a big head."

"I know what you mean" said the dwarf, "This one's got all kinds of powers" realizing it was being spoken of, the unicorn looked up, "Casts magic out of his horn, heal just about every kind of ailment, even poison. And fast, whoo, never seen a beast what could move so fast."

The unicorn preened over the dwarf's praise. Harry stared at the unicorn then turned to the dwarf with a questioning look.

"Gotta praise him like that sometimes or he gets all moody" the dwarf whispered.

Harry resisted a snicker, not wanting the unicorn to suspect, "So, where do we go from here? I assume we were brought here to do more than play in the village."

The dwarf nodded, blowing a long line of smoke form his pipe, "There's a town roughly two days travel from here called Daggerhold."

"What's there?"

"You'll see" the dwarf replied with an infuriating smirk.

"I suppose asking who brought us here and why would just be a waste of time then?"

"What's life without a little mystery" said the dwarf far too cheerfully for Harry's taste.

Shaking his head, Harry stood and collected his staff, "I should go. Lunch's over, I'm sure they'll be wondering where I am."

"Mm, lunch. Should be getting to that myself" the dwarf mused.

This pronouncement put a wicked thought in Harry's mind. He glanced at the annoying dwarf, then at the unicorn who was still preening. He really shouldn't. It wasn't very nice. And yet, the weight in his shirt could not be ignored. He hid an evil little grin as he reached into his pocket.

"I found these to be quite good" he said, showing the dwarf a handful of mushrooms.

The dwarf's eyes lit up, "I like mushrooms."

Harry offered his Dungeon Master the foraging. The dwarf took them without hesitation, scarfing them down like he'd not eaten in days.

"Mm, not bad" he said with a satisfied smile, "rather a nice bit to 'em."

"That's probably the poison" said Harry innocently.

Harry thought the dwarf's eyes might pop out of his head when he heard that, "You're, you're joking right. You, you wouldn't really poison me?"

An ominous growl from his stomach gave him his answer.

"Oh my, that doesn't sound good" Harry observed, resisting the urge to chortle.

Sweating profusely the dwarf turned to the unicorn, "Uni, help me" The unicorn looked back at the dwarf, then turned and trotted off. "What, Uni, where are you going?" scrambling to his feet the dwarf ran after the unicorn, "Uni, dang blast you get back here. I've been poisoned, do you here me? Get back here you horses ass!"

Harry watched the two disappear into the woods, a big stupid grin on his face.

"That was mean" he said, and then began to snicker, "but hell if it wasn't funny."

Harry laughed as he walked back to the group of foragers, and when the children asked why he was laughing, all he could do was laugh even harder.

…

Late that evening the three adventurers sat around a crackling fire. Harry had just told them they'd be leaving for Daggerhold in the morning. Ron didn't much care. If Harry said they were going that's what they'd do.

His mind was preoccupied with other things. Ideas he'd been ruminating on all day, when he wasn't distracted. He couldn't really say how Hermione felt. She'd worn the same scowl when she sat down that she'd been wearing when he saw her that morning. He was actually afraid to ask her how her day had been.

Harry wasn't, "So, how was your day Hermione?" poor foolish bloke.

"Awful" she stated vehemently, "can you believe they expected me to cook? Me!"

"I'm, not sure why I shouldn't believe that. We all need to eat."

"But it's me Harry. Do I look like some brainless simple-minded kitchen witch?"

Ron felt her assessment was a bit unfair. His mother was a 'kitchen witch' and she was hardly brainless or simple-minded. Of course, having listened to Hermione rant about how antiquated 'wizard' society was and gender rolls and all that other nonsense muggleborn girls like to complain about, he was pretty sure he knew what she was really on about. Not that he understood her nonsense, but he'd heard it before.

"You could have split wood all day instead" he offered.

"Or gone foraging in the woods full of vicious wild animals" said Harry, "we actually saw a couple wolves on our way back."

That brought her up short for a moment, but it didn't last, "We shouldn't be wasting our time on any of this. We should be figuring out why we're here and how to get home."

Ron sighed, this was the part where he rained on all of them, "I think I know."

His friend's stares made him feel incredibly self-conscious.

"You know. Really? Really!"

Her condescending tone made him want to snap at her, but he held it in. This was too important.

"You remember that whole thing our second year with Ginny, and the book?"

"I remember" said Harry gravely.

"After we all got home, dad sat us down for a talk. First he gave us the don't trust a thing if you can't see where it keeps its brain speech."

"Makes sense" said Harry.

"Yeah, but then, when we thought he was done, he hit us with this one. He said, one day you may find yourself in a place with no idea how you got there, and no idea how to get out. There'll probably be someone there, and they'll want you to do something or go somewhere."

"This is starting to sound familiar" said Harry.

"Yeah. He said, under no circumstances should we panic, and absolutely do not try to fight with them. That'll only make it worse. Do what they ask you to do, go where they tell you to go, and try to come back alive."

Hermione stared at her ginger friend in disbelief, "Are you serious?"

"No" said Harry, cutting him off, "He's Ron."

Now Harry was getting the look, "Harry!"

"That was pretty bad mate" said Ron, snickering none the less.

"Sirius would have wanted me to do it."

Hermione just glared at him a moment before returning her attention to Ron, "Why didn't you tell us this sooner."

"I was actually supposed to tell Harry the next time I saw him."

"Why me?" said Harry.

"Dad figured you'd be the sort to get dragged into something like that."

"Nice to know he was right" Harry said sardonically, "so, why didn't you tell me?"

"Didn't seem real important and the next time I saw you there was that whole thing with Sirius and the dementors and I just kinda forgot till we walked into that office."

"So, come on, what are we dealing with then?" Hermione demanded.

"A greater power" he said.

"No! Really?"

"That's what he called it" Ron shot back.

"So, like a god?" Harry jumped in before he and Hermione could get into it.

"Not necessarily" he said, trying not to snap, "Ginny asked the same thing and that's what he said."

"But, why bring us here?"

"It wants us to do something."

"Brilliant insight."

Ron glared at the bitchy female, "You got something better."

"If you'd just listened to me" she said.

"Then we'd all be squishy meat" he finished.

"You don't know that" she shouted, "we could have all refused."

"Cuz that worked out so well for you."

"Well maybe if you…"

"It doesn't matter" said Harry, standing to tower over the two of them.

"But…"

"No! Hermione. No more buts, no what if's. We're here. The only thing that matters now is accomplishing whatever these, powers, want us to accomplish. Daggerhold is two days from here. We leave at dawn.

The other two looked after as he walked away.

"Well, he… that's just, FINE!"

Ron watched his female 'friend' stomp off and couldn't help but grin. It wasn't often he came out on the winning end of an argument with Hermione. Sure, technically Harry had just ended the argument, but he was gonna call it a win. He got too few of them not to count every single one.


	4. Chapter 03

Chapter 03  
Adventure to go

…

Sunny and bright, that was the tone of the day. The open road stretched out before them along with a great sense of excited anticipation.

"Are we there yet?"

Or impatience, one of those.

The trees reached up, full and green with singing birds hopping gaily from branch to branch. They marched down the road full of purpose. None of them was entirely sure what that purpose was, but none the less. Nothing would stop them. Nothing.

"I'm hungry."

Well, almost nothing.

"Honestly Ron, is that all you can think about?"

"When I'm hungry."

Harry snickered quietly but not quietly enough to avoid a scrutinizing eye.

"We got anything to eat?"

"Yes" Hermione snapped, "and it needs to last us till we get to Daggerhold."

"How far is that?"

"Another day and a half."

"I won't make it."

"Does that mean I can have your left leg when you die?" Harry asked.

"Harry!" cried a scandalized Hermione.

"What? No sense wasting good meat just because I know him."

"I bet I'd be delicious" opined Ron.

"You two, I swear" the Granger growled.

The two boys shared a grin. There seemed to be no way to please their female companion, but at least 'they' were having fun.

"I'm hungry."

Snicker, "So you've said. Maybe you should climb a tree and hunt for squirrels."

"I don't think 'this' was really meant for hunting squirrels" said Ron, patting his sword.

Harry laughed, "Probably not" sure would be funny to see him try though.

"Spose there's anything around here big enough to swing a sword at?"

"Trees" Hermione sniped.

"Can't eat trees" Ron shot back, "How bout a bear. I could do a bear."

"Oh, honestly!"

"I could!"

"Uh guys, what's that on the road up ahead?"

The others stopped and stared at the brownish lump laying across the road. It was still too far to make out properly but the way it stretched across the well-trodden path proved it was quite sizable.

"I bet it's a bear" said Ron.

"Oh don't be ridiculous."

"He could be right."

Ron smiled smugly at Hermione's scowl, "It's just a big lump of dirt."

"Bear."

"Dirt!"

"Bear."

"We could just go up there and find out" offered Harry, "We are going that way."

His two friends nodded, smiling and scowling they marched down the road to the big obstructing lump. Big, hairy, snoring obstructing lump.

"Bear" said Ron proudly.

Well, ask and ye shall receive.

"Fine, it's a bear" Hermione whispered, "Now let's go around it."

"But I'm hungry" said Ron, drawing his sword and approaching the head.

"Ron! Ron what are you doing?"

"Lunch" said Ron.

Hermione watched in horror as Ron lifted his sword and brought it down on the bears neck. The force of the blow was considerable so when it bounced off the hard, bristly fur the recoil was also considerable. Ron staggered back and fell on his ass, completely surprised by the rebound of his attack.

"Bloody hell!"

"Ron."

"Just what kinda bear is that?"

"Awake" squeaked Hermione.

"Huh" Ron looked back and found a massive head inches from his face, "oh."

For a moment, boy and bear stared at each other. Ron quivered under the intense predatory gaze. Mere inches from a mouthful of sharp Ron ripping teeth, it was all he could do not to lose bladder control.

He opened his mouth, intent on saying 'something' when the bear decided to preempt him. The ursine roar was mostly drowned out by the high pitch scream that came from Ronald Bilius Weasley.

"SWARM!"

The mass of flying insects took advantage of the bears open mouth and the beast staggered back hacking and coughing while being assailed by angry biting flies.

"Wha…"

"Ron! Run!"

He didn't have to be told twice. Still carrying his sword, Ron hit the tree line at full speed.

"Wait for us" Hermione demanded, charging in after him with Harry bringing up the rear.

Despite being told, he didn't wait, fear lending strength to his legs the likes of which he'd never felt. It wasn't like with spiders that turned his legs to jelly, bears were a sort of scary he could handle, by running away. Also screaming.

"He certainly has a powerful set of lungs" said Harry.

"Probably how he manages to shove so much in his mouth without suffocating" Hermione panted angrily as she struggled not to lose her far faster friend.

"Might wanna pick it up Hermione."

"I'm running as fast as I can" she snapped.

The sound of thunder rolling behind them caused her angry growl to fall into a fearful moan.

"You better not be" he said, "or we're in trouble."

His swarm had apparently dissipated, or the bear had simply outrun it. Harry had no trouble believing the latter given the speed at which the enormous ursine was shrinking the gap between them.

"Harry! I can't" Hermione wept.

He wasn't surprised. Carrying around a bunch of books through the smooth floors of the castle did not prepare one for a life or death chase through the forest with a bear. Fortunately, his experience with high speed foot travel was not so limited.

"Break off" Harry ordered, "I'll get him to chase me. Come find us later."

"Wha! But Harry!" she tried to protest.

"Just do it" he ordered, giving her a hard shove that forced her onto a divergent path.

The bear paid her no mind and hurtled after Harry like a bristly rocket.

"Thought as much" it was either after him or Ron. Hermione hadn't done anything to it, she was just in his way, "Come get me ya big ugly brute!"

The bear roared and thundered after him. Turning his attention fully forward Harry concentrated on running. It wouldn't do for him to outpace his pursuer only to trip on some easily avoided obstacle just because he wasn't looking where he was going.

"Ron!" he shouted, having lost sight and sound of his ginger friend.

No answer came. That meant he either hadn't heard or simply couldn't answer. Neither did him any good in locating his friend and the bear was catching up.

"Now would be a great time to be somewhere else" he muttered as he ran.

He made a mental note to learn how to apparate at the earliest opportunity, whenever that might be. Or maybe he'd just teach himself to fly, that sounded even better.

After he outran the bear.

If he outran the bear.

Making a hard right as the bear got uncomfortably close sent the beast smashing into a small tree, tearing it from the ground with its sheer mass as it made to follow him. The sight was less than encouraging.

On the one hand the bear would not be turning on any dimes. On the other, if it caught him that would be the end, its size alone would crush him flat as a dime. It was funny in a way that one bear might accomplish what a dark lord and all his minions had failed to.

A sound caught his attention and lacking any better plan he made another sharp turn towards it. The bear didn't have a conveniently placed tree to turn on this time, so Harry managed to get ahead a bit.

Which was good, because what he found nearly stopped him dead in his tracks, "Ron!"

His friend, head peeking through the bushes, yanked it out at the sound of his name, "Huh, what? Oh, Harry, what're you…" A roar tore through the air and Ron's question was answered before he could even finish it.

"Go, go!" Harry shouted, shoving Ron through the bushes.

"Wait, Harry" he tried to protest but the sound of heavy footsteps got him moving.

Bursting through the bushes Harry got his first look at what Ron had been peeking at. A hairy old satyr held a willowy female with her legs wrapped around his waist. Neither wore a scrap of clothing and the way they were moving, completely ignoring the two boys running through their glade, it took little imagination to figure out what they were doing. The way the female squeaked and moaned every time the satyr bounced her was a sort of hint too.

He almost laughed when the two toppled over backwards in a heap. Two young men might not be sufficient cause to stop their fun but a giant bear was. Go figure.

"I thought I lost him" Ron complained.

"Ya lost us too" said Harry.

"Sorry. Where's Hermione?"

"Shoved her off a ways back" said Harry, ducking under a low branch, "not sure where she is."

"Can't be anywhere worse than…"

"Over here!"

"Well what'cha know."

Hermione waved at them through the woods not forty feet away.

"How'd she catch up so fast?" wondered Ron

"Why is she just standing there waving?" asked Harry.

"This way" she shouted, flinching back when she saw the bear charging in behind them, "Hurry!"

"What does she think we're doing?"

Harry didn't bother to respond and poured on the speed. They were within ten feet before Hermione turned and fled, though she didn't go far.

"In here" she said, ducking into a small opening at the bottom of a medium sized rock formation.

The hole wasn't large, just big enough for the two of them to duck down into together. Certainly not big enough for, say, a giant bear who saw its quarry disappear under the rocks and came to a stumbling halt. Roaring and stamping it paced around their little cave yet remained aloof, never coming too near.

"Ha! He can't get us in here" Ron crowed.

"Nice job Hermione."

"Yes, well. Couldn't have the two of you getting eaten, now could I?"

"Looks like he's leaving" the three teens watched through the gap as the bear gave one final chuff, before trundling off into the forest.

"Well, that was close" said Ron, flopping down on the cave floor.

"Maybe that'll teach you to just go off and hit things like that."

"Probably not" said Ron which made Hermione groan, "Say, does this floor seem squishy to anyone or is it just me?"

Kneeling, Harry examined the floor. Squishy, just like he said. The texture was a bit coarse, like a fine sandpaper. Putting the two together he was reminded of Hagrid's dog Fang, his tongue at least, "Is it getting darker?"

"The hole, it's closing" cried Hermione.

"That's not a hole" Harry realized, "It's a mouth" he said as they were engulfed in darkness.

…

"Disgusting, so disgusting."

Bears as it turned out, were not the worst creatures living in the forest. Harry didn't know what the thing that had swallowed them was called, but he didn't really need to, he could dislike it just fine without that information.

"Dirty, filthy, just… ick!"

All three of them were covered in the things 'secretions', but it was only Hermione who felt the need to talk about it. Heaven only knew why. Harry and Ron were just as happy to squelch along in silence.

"Vile, absolutely filthy, disgusting and vile."

"I think she's running out of words" Ron remarked quietly, lest he incur her wrath.

Harry hid a smirk. It was true they were lost in the woods and covered in slime. But from his perspective, it still wasn't the worst day he'd ever had. And he was glad at least one of his friends was trying to remain upbeat.

Probably helped that he had been the one responsible for getting them out of the nasty camouflaged creature, "Cheer up Hermione, could be worse" said Harry.

"Worse!" she shrieked, "How could it be worse!"

"You really shouldn't ask that question" said Ron.

"And why not" she snapped.

"Cuz then you'll find out."

Hermione glared at the ginger then stomped away, squelching and cursing.

"You know that's not helping" said Harry.

"Was I supposed to be helping?"

Harry shook his head at the smirking ginger, "Ron."

"Hey, I've said it before and I'll say it again, she needs to get her priorities in order."

Harry sighed, "Well, when you're right you're right. I wish she'd just tell us what's bothering her."

"She won't, and she'll blame us for not figuring it out."

"Really Ron?"

"You forget, I got a sister at home. She's always like that."

"You sure it's not just her."

Ron made a gesture at the back of the angry bookworm stomping along well ahead of them.

Harry shrugged, cuz what else could he do, then stopped suddenly.

"Harry?" Ron queried, halting as well.

"Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" he asked, looking around nervously.

"Sounds like, running water."

It was a river, as it turned out. Perhaps twenty feet across and just deep enough to wade in.

"Oh thank Merlin" Hermione cried, tossing aside the small bag with their food and plunging in.

"Uh, Hermione, you sure that's safe."

If she heard her dark-haired friend, she ignored him. Her entire attention was focused on scrubbing everything she could reach.

"Think we aught to…" he began to ask till he noticed Ron wasn't paying attention, "Ron?"

But Ron didn't answer. Something on the far shore had caught his attention.

"What're you looking at?"

"Them" he said.

Ron directed Harry's attention to the nubile female forms he'd been ogling. They were colored the same as the water, so Harry didn't feel too bad for missing them.

"What are they?"

Ron shrugged, "Girls?"

"Hey, Stop that!"

The exclamation drew their attention back to their bushy haired friend who appeared to be wrestling with two of the strange water girls. On closer inspection it became clear she was not wrestling, they were just trying to drown her.

"Bollocks!"

"Can't take her anywhere."

The two boys charged into the water and dragged their waterlogged friend to shore. The water girls resisted but not very hard. Harry got the distinct impression from their giggling and tittering that they saw this all as some sort of game. Too bad Hermione didn't share their outlook on the situation.

"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" she screamed, flailing her sopping limbs furiously.

"Hermione calm down" Harry tried to reason with her.

"No! No, no, no, no" she wailed, beating weakly against his chest till she ran out of steam and started crying instead.

"It's not fair" she wept, "It's just not fair."

It rarely was, in Harry's experience, but he knew better that to tell her that. Unsure what to do he opened his arms and she nearly knocked him over when she flew into his chest.

He was already soaked so her tears weren't going to make it any worse, but it sure was awkward. He'd been nearly killed more times than he cared to remember and never broken down over it. Maybe there was something wrong with him.

"Come on Hermione. Let's make camp and call it a day. We'll get back on the road tomorrow."

It was beginning to get late and there was no way they'd make it through the night soaking wet without a fire. Tomorrow would be better. Probably.


	5. Chapter 04

Chapter 04  
Adventure has arrived

…

"Men, we stand upon the precipice of battle."

"What's a precipice?"

"Beyond those trees lies Daggerhold. You all know it I'm sure. Nice place for a backwoods nowhere town. Well, not when we're done with it.

"Now, I'm sure you've all heard how noble it is, to die for your people. Well I'm here to tell you that's bullshit. No one ever won a battle by dying. He won the battle, by making the other guy die."

"Makes sense, dun it."

"Now, some of you may be concerned, when the moment comes, you won't know what to do. You'll freeze up, fail your brothers."

"Shit! How'd he know."

"Well, don't worry about it, you won't, I know you won't. Because when you reach out your hand and touch the mush that used to be your best friends face, you'll know what to do."

"Pff, they always say that but I never know what to do."

"Now there's one more thing. I don't want to hear about anyone holding a position. Let the enemy hold, we will be advancing. We'll advance through their gates, through their guts, till there's not a single man woman or child left standing.

"Now, you know how I feel. And I'll say, it'll be my honor, to lead you stupid bastards into battle."

"Aw gee that's sweet ain't it."

"Alright, dismissed."

…

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"… How bout now?"

"Ronald!"

Some people say you should take the road less traveled. Some people have obviously never done much traveling, not with these two anyway.

"Hermione, please don't yell. Ron, when we get there, you'll know it. Please stop asking."

After their little side adventure with the bear, and the cave, and the water nymphs, they'd spent a chilly miserable night around a small fire before rising with the sun to get back on the road. Problem was, they couldn't find the road. They tried to retrace their steps but somehow, despite all the damage they'd done on their little chase, of the trail there was not a trace.

Half a day was wasted attempting to find the road or some sign of it before Hedwig appeared. It didn't take much for the highly intelligent owl to get across the idea that they were traveling in the completely wrong direction. At which point Hermione had a minor breakdown which involved a lot of screaming and cursing. Once she was all worn out, with Hedwig's assistance they got back on the road, several miles back the way they'd come, and started walking toward Daggerhold once more.

Now, a day and a half later, all of them were tired and hungry and each of them handled this differently. Ron complained, Hermione growled, Harry remained quiet. His own history with deprivation under the Dursley's had taught him the value of suffering in silence. That didn't mean he wasn't suffering though.

He'd be just as thrilled as the others when they reached Daggerhold. What came after was of some concern however. They had no money and no real way to make any. They were going to Daggerhold because the dwarf had told Harry to. He'd taken it on faith their Dungeon Master wasn't just messing with them. Quite the leap, no?

"Incoming."

Harry glanced up and a moment later a snowy white owl was perched on his arm. His faithful owl had been keeping them on the proper path since their little diversion and Harry was thrilled to see her return from her latest scouting trip.

"Hello Hedwig. We almost there?"

His owl barely looked at him before turning back the way she'd come, bobbing and hooting in an agitated fashion. He stared over the tree line looking for whatever had his feathered friend in such a tizzy. There was nothing, the sky was perfectly clear save for one small gray cloud.

Wait a minute, "Is that smoke?"

The others turned to examine the horizon.

"Looks like it" said Ron.

"Yes! Civilization at last!" Hermione exclaimed.

Harry was less excited. The smoke cloud continued to grow, far too large and far too fast for mere chimney spew.

"Something's wrong" said Harry.

Hedwig bobbed in the affirmative.

"No, no Harry, good. Civilization good" Hermione whined.

He didn't know she had it in her.

"Whatcha reckon Harry" said Ron.

"I don't know" which he didn't, "Hedwig, show us the way."

The owl bobbed once, gave a hoot then flew off. Harry followed close behind, Ron dogging his heels. Hermione petulantly stamped her foot before chasing after them. At their quickened pace it only took them ten minutes to make the gates of Daggerhold. Broken gates guarded by a pair of bored looking goblin like creatures surrounded by dead human bodies.

From their cover they could see the smoke rising from somewhere beyond the wall. Perfect.

"What a rotten day" muttered Ron.

Harry agreed, "We need to get inside."

More difficult than it sounded. The goblins were clearly the aggressors, so he had no compunctions about killing them. The difficulty was doing it without one of them raising some kind of alarm, "Hmm."

"Whatcha thinkin Harry?" asked Ron.

"Idea. Ron, how sneaky do you feel?"

…

Two goblins stood watch at the gate. Theirs was a sacred duty, an honor, a privilege. They were the finest their band had to offer for the job. Only the most trusted and competent of warriors.

"Hey Raktong?"

"What Takrot?"

"I gotta pee."

Provided 'trusted' and 'competent' meant exactly the opposite of what they actually meant.

"Thanks for sharing. You should have gone before the invasion."

"I didn't need to go then."

"Whatever, just turn around and go."

"Promise you won't look."

"Wha… why would I want to watch you pee?"

"I don't know… you promise?"

"Uuuuuugh! I promise I will not watch you pee, geez!"

"Okay, I'm gonna do it. I sure hope nobody comes along while I'm so helpless and vulnerable."

"Who's gonna come along, everyone within miles was in there when we…ack…gah, bleh."

"What's wrong?"

"Bugs, aw blech uh, oh it just flew up my nose."

"Ha ha, oh damn it I peed on my foot. Raktong do you have a…"

"Have a what… oh it went in my mouth, damn it, I can't even see. Takrot! Takrot? Where are you ya stupid son of a half gnome troglodyte?"

…

The goblin fumbled around, blinded by the swarm of flies till Ron gave him the axe, er… sword, like he'd just given his friend.

"Well, that was easy" said Ron.

"Don't jinx it" said Harry.

"Prek!"

All eyes turned upward to find Harry's owl sitting on top of the gates.

"More inside?" Harry asked.

The owl bobbed ascent. Of course there were.

"Let's go" he said.

"Wait!"

Harry and Ron froze mid-step, "What?"

"Why are we going in there?"

"Uh, cuz that's where the fight is?" said Ron.

"Why do we want to fight? This is none of our business."

Harry sighed, "Look, if you don't want to come in, wait here."

Without giving her time to protest Harry marched into Daggerhold, his owl leading the way. Ron followed without hesitation leaving Hermione alone, with the corpses.

Aw, Hell no, "Wait for me!"

The trio trekked through the wrecked town quietly. Several houses were in the process of burning, others were just finishing up, and all around were the signs of battle. Mostly one sided by the look of the bodies strewn about the street.

"Didn't put up much of a fight, did they?" Ron observed.

"Probably a surprise attack" Hermione whispered.

Surprisingly, a goblin came screaming down the street, something which should have been a cause for concern. The fact that it was on fire made it less a cause for concern and more a cause to stare in bewilderment.

"Surprise, yeah" Harry was really beginning to hate surprises.

Ron wound up and smashed it in the face with his shield as it ran by, giving it a quick chop on the head as an afterthought.

"Looks like we didn't miss the fun" said Ron.

"Fun!" exclaimed Hermione, positively aghast.

"There" Harry pointed to a small fortress surrounded by a high wooden palisade. Swarming around it were at least 30 goblins, all heavily armed.

"Found 'em, now what?"

"We leave!"

"Ron come with me" said Harry, "Hermione, stay here. Hedwig, watch her."

Harry and Ron crept forward till they were barely 20 feet from the nearest goblin, "So, what's the plan?"

"I'm going to swarm them" said Harry, "I need you to cover me."

"You think a lot of flies are gonna do it?"

Harry shook his head, "There's more to SWARM than just flies."

…

Standing before the minor fort, the goblin war chief watched his men. They were a fine lot, in his opinion, no group he'd rather rape pillage and plunder with. With such an excellent group, victory was practically guaranteed.

"Sir, they refuse to open the door."

Well, almost, "How rude."

"Maybe they don't know we're out here, have you tried knocking?" offered his assistant.

"Yes."

"Try harder" he barked.

"Yes sir" cried the goblin, scurrying off to do just that.

"Where is Hakfag?"

"He set himself on fire by accident."

"Idiot, he should have done it on purpose."

"Yes sir!"

"Honestly, settin himself on fire by accident, useless incompetence" the war chief grumbled as the other goblin returned, "Is anybody answering?"

"No sir."

"Knock harder!"

"Yes sir!"

"Bad manners, that's what it is. How are we supposed to rape and pillage when they close the door on us?"

"Sir, we've received a response from within."

"…Well, what is it?"

"They said, 'go away', sir."

Unbelievable, "Oh, did they? And how did we reply?"

"We told them they were being very rude by not letting us in."

"Good, good" at least his people were behaving properly.

"Then they called us big meanie heads."

"Outrageous!"

"Yes sir."

"Well if they're going to be that way about it, burn it down."

"Yes sir!"

"One more thing."

"Yes sir?"

"Do you hear that buzzing noise?"

…

Chaos ensued as Harry's swarm fell upon the goblins, the biggest swarm he'd ever conjured. Screams and curses in a tongue he did not understand filled the air.

…

"Not the bees, not the bees!"

"In my ears, aaaaaaaagh, they're stinging my brain."

"Noooooo! It went up my nose, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!"

…

"That sure got their attention" Ron observed, "and here they come."

"First one's yours" said Harry as he continued conjuring his second swarm.

"Got it."

Still harried by the bees, the goblins swing was distracted and weak, bouncing off Ron's shield. His sword took it in the neck and it went down spurting like an ugly fountain.

The surprise attack proved more successful than either boy had believed possible. Only a few others followed the first. Full of bee venom they were quickly dispatched. When they stopped coming the boys moved in to finish off those the bees already hadn't.

By the time they were done the conjured bees had vanished. So, when the people inside the fort opened the gates and saw the carnage laid out before them they jumped to the obvious conclusion.

"You saved us."

Once again Ron soaked in the accolades while Harry sat by and watched, exhausted from his conjuring. Once again, Harry was totally okay with that. Once again, Hermione stood by and grumbled after having done nothing.

Anyone beginning to sense a pattern.


	6. Chapter 05

Chapter 05  
Adventure in learning

…

"Get those legs up ya worthless slug. If I have to come over there I'm gonna shove my boot so far up yur ass you won't sit for a week."

"Aaaaaaaaaagh!" being a hero sucked.

At one point in his life, being a hero had been his highest aspiration. The fame. The glory. Never mind his best mate, a hero at one year old, never seemed to enjoy such things. Ron knew what he wanted, and he wanted to be a hero.

What a fool he'd been.

"Come on maggot, move it!"

The fight to save Daggerhold had been pretty easy. He hadn't even broken a sweat. Harry had been exhausted though and by the time the fort had opened he'd been leaning hard on his staff.

This had left Ron playing the face of the group, even after Hermione and Hedwig had joined them. Ron had wallowed in the attention. He'd even been excited when the man-at-arms in charge of the fort said he wanted to train him.

Finally, he was getting the recognition he'd always dreamed of. That feeling had carried him about five minutes into his first training session. The rest of it had required much yelling and threats of violence upon his posterior with pieces of footwear.

"Aw, my ole granny could do that faster."

He'd been saying that a lot to. Ron found himself oddly curious to meet this old lady. She must have some great stories.

"I wonder if Harry's having this much fun?"

"Who said you could rest!"

"Aaaaaaaagh!"

…

Harry was having more fun than Ron. Although, Ron would have had a hard time believing it.

"Is the sage ready?"

"Ready when you are."

"Excellent, dump it in the cauldron."

Harry dumped the sage he'd been grinding into the bubbling cauldron then took up the large wooden rod and began to stir.

The wizard, Simon, sat nearby supervising. His left arm, hung in a sling, prevented him from doing most of the brewing himself, "You really are a godsend Harry, have I told you that?"

Harry smiled, "I believe you may have mentioned it" three or four times.

The wizard chuckled, "I apologize if I'm embarrassing you" he said, "I'm not accustomed to such competent help."

Harry saw him glance at the next room and couldn't help a rueful smile. The wizards apprentice was a young willow switch of a girl who couldn't seem to go two steps without tripping over invisible dust bunnies.

When Simon had realized Harry could brew he'd banished the girl to his small library to study. Naturally, when Hermione realized there were books she'd disappeared. Harry assumed if he went looking he'd find her buried under a stack of literature.

"You can stop stirring now" said Simon.

Harry nodded and removed the wooden rod from the cauldron.

"What now?"

"We wait for it to turn bright yellow then we take it off the fire and decant it" sounded about right, Harry thought.

Before he had a chance to sit there was a shrill whistle from a small pot on a burner nearby, "Perfect timing" Harry lifted the tea pot and made a slight gesture to turn off the fire. Collecting two cups he went about the well-practiced ritual of making tea.

Aunt Petunia had often forgone prepackaged tea for doing it the old-fashioned way like she'd been taught as a girl. And, like so many menial tasks, she'd forced Harry to learn it that way too. He had mixed feelings on finding a useful application for things he'd been taught by people he could hardly tolerate. Next he'd be quoting wisdom from Uncle Vernon.

"Oh my, that was an ugly expression" Simon commented, "Should I be concerned?"

Harry hung his head shamefully, "Sorry. Just thinking about some people I don't like."

"I try to avoid that myself. Thank you" he said, accepting his tea, "It's why I moved out here instead of staying in the city."

"Regretting it?" Harry asked, eyeing the sling.

"Goodness no. I have little objection to dealing with goblins. It's far less strenuous than the self-important troglodytes at the Collegium."

"That where you learned your wizardry?"

"Most of it. I had a little from my grandmother before attending and I've learned a great deal more since leaving. Most of which has come from local lore, but I hardly need to tell you that, do I?"

Harry wished he would, "Being honest I'm not actually that good at this whole druid thing."

"Why did you choose that path, if you don't mind my asking?"

Why indeed, "Seemed like the right choice at the time, and it's not that I regret it exactly, I'm just not sure where I'm supposed to take it."

Ron had it easy in that respect, Harry thought. Even before the master of the guard had offered to train him, Ron's path had been simple and straight forward. It was just so Ron. In that respect, the druidic path fit him perfectly. He had no idea what he was doing or where he was going. Story of his life.

"I'm afraid I've never known any druid's before you Harry" said Simon, "Although, I have heard stories."

"Highly exaggerated I'd imagine" the ones about him certainly were.

Simon chuckled and was about to say more when a crash from the other room cut him off, "That sounded expensive" Harry observed with a cringe.

"I will not kill my apprentice, I will not kill my apprentice" he chanted.

Said apprentice poked her nose in through the door a moment later, "Um, master?"

"Claire! Was that my nice new vase I just heard smash?"

Harry watched the girl blush a brilliant red, "Um, well, that is a… yes."

The wizard gave a strangled groan and his apprentice wilted tearfully, "I thought you were supposed to be in the library, studying" he said through gritted teeth.

"I was" she squeaked, "but, but I found that book with the ritual summoning you wanted me to find and, and…"

The wizard stared at his stuttering apprentice and sighed, his anger bleeding away like rain off a rooftop, "I told you to just set it aside for me."

"I, I know but, I just wanted, I just want to…"

Poor kid, Harry thought. She'd only been trying to help.

Setting down his tea, he approached the girl and gently took the book from her hands, "Thank you Claire. That was very helpful."

The girl stared back like a deer in the headlights, "I, I, I uh help yyyyou, you uh" the girl stuttered haplessly. Harry tried to give her a reassuring smile but that only made things worse. One step back turned into a frantic tumble and the wizards apprentice crashed back through the door.

Harry winced as the door swung shut, "Well that could have gone better."

"Just don't understand how anyone can be 'that' uncoordinated" the wizard said.

"Maybe she's cursed" Harry thought aloud.

"Ha, I should be so lucky."

"Have you checked?"

"… uh, no."

"Maybe you should" said Harry, setting the book down and checking on the cauldron, "Does this look right to you?"

"Hmm, oh yes, yes that's done" said Simon, turning his attention to more pressing things, "Now we let it cool then bottle it up. And once that's done we can try out that book."

"Try it out?" how does one try out a book.

The wizard nodded, "Yes, summoning is something druids are well known to do. That swarm you summoned was impressive, so how about I teach you to summon something a little bit bigger."

Harry smiled, "I like the sound of that."

Several hours later he was reconsidering that thought.

"Well done Harry. It usually takes first timers weeks to call forth a summoning circle."

The first part of any powerful summoning was the summoning circle. Given the angry little men pounding on his skull, Harry hoped this was the hard part.

"Want to call it a day?"

Yes, was the response that immediately came to mind, "No, no I'm good" he lied.

"If you're sure."

Harry could tell the wizard didn't believe him, he was just too polite to say so, "Let's do it."

Simon nodded, "Alright, summon the circle. Good, now picture your summon. Every detail. As clear as you can."

Easier said than done, Harry thought. He'd only seen a real wolf once and it wasn't for very long. Still, he tried to draw the image into his mind.

He started at the head and the long gray muzzle with its flashing white teeth. Soft gray fur, four tireless legs, and a long bristly tail. Harry gave his visualization a once over and found it to be not half bad. He just hoped it wasn't going to bite him.

"Okay, I've got it."

"Good, now call it out."

With a surge of power, he set the spell into motion.

He could feel it draining his meager strength. His body wilted but he refused to give in. When the spell completed the drain ceased so abruptly he nearly fell.

He gripped his staff for balance, legs wobbling like jelly. If he didn't sit down soon he was going to fall down. But first, he wanted a look at his summon. He forced his eyes open and stared at the furry form before him.

"Arf!"

"What the bloody hell."

Simon snickered while Harry tried to process what he was seeing. It was canine. He was pretty sure it was a wolf even. It was just, so tiny, and big eyed, and adorable."

"This is not what I imagined."

The strain was too much, and Simone broke out laughing.

The little wolf pup looked at the laughing wizard then at his summoner. Harry grimaced when the happy pup stated excitedly tugging at his boot.

"Why me?"

…

Ron trudged into the pub that evening like a starving zombie. He could barely feel his legs and his arms hung off his shoulders like lead weights.

"Guuuuuuuuuuuuh!" he moaned as he shambled over to the table where his bushy-haired friend sat.

"Well look what the cat dragged in."

Normally he'd have some sort of response for her sass, but that part of his brain was currently shut down due to power shortages. Struggling to pull the chair out he didn't so much sit as collapse into the seat. His head forcibly came to rest on the surface of the table. It probably hurt, but so did everything else, which made it hard to tell.

"What's the matter? Being the hero not all you hoped for?"

Ron had no idea why the female was being so snarky, but he really didn't care for it.

"Don't be jealous Hermione."

Hermione scoffed while Ron turned his head just enough to see Harry sitting next to him.

"Arry, when you get here?" he mumbled.

"I was here when you sat down Ron."

"Ruff!"

An exclamation died on his lips at the sight of the puppy. Not because he didn't want to say it, he just didn't have the 'umph' for that level of emote.

"What's this then?"

"Harry summoned it" said Hermione sourly.

"It was supposed to be a full-sized wolf" said Harry, "I just didn't have the energy."

"Energy. Yeah, I know how that feels. You guys just wanna roll me under the table. Think I'll sleep there."

"Without dinner?" asked Harry, "We already ordered."

Despite his aching everything Ron managed a weak smile, "You're the best, mate."

"Arf!"


	7. Chapter 06

Chapter 06  
Adventure gnome

…

The sun was rising as he marched out of town, a pair of baskets hanging from each arm. The cheerily ascending orb perfectly matched his mood and he welcomed it. He had a long day ahead of him and it never hurt to start out on a positive note.

Not that Harry would know much about that, but he'd heard stories.

Ron had still been lying in bed, occasionally groaning when he'd slipped out, and Hermione had already invaded the wizard's library. Strangely, the access to vast quantities of literature had not improved her disposition. Perhaps she was still hung up on the three of them being there, it would be like her to cling to something like that.

Mules were less stubborn.

Perhaps he'd say something to her when he returned from his great forage. Perhaps not. He let it drift from his mind as he turned his attention to the task at hand. Simon had sent him on this not so little errand after they'd finished their last potion and realized his stores were now empty. They'd been brewing almost nonstop for days, so it really shouldn't have been a surprise.

Harry didn't mind. A chance to be out of doors was a nice change after being hunched over a steaming cauldron for hours. Though that's not to say that he minded the brewing. Without Snape there to snipe it wasn't so bad. He was even pretty good at it. Who knew?

That aside, he was glad to be out. If given the choice it was usually where he preferred to be. Handy since he was supposed to be a druid, a wizard of nature as he was coming to understand. It would have been very awkward if he were a homebody, or agoraphobic, can you imagine.

He found his owl at the edge of the woods sitting in an old maple waiting for him.

"Good morning girl. Ready to work?"

Her response was to perch on his shoulder and start in on his hair.

"That's not what I meant" but she paid him no mind, she knew best after all.

Leaving his owl to preen her owner, Harry pulled a small book from his pocket. A tome of herbs, or so Simon had called it, written in the common tongue. Thankfully this turned out to be what he understood as English.

Not that it really mattered, Harry didn't need it for the text, just the pictures. He knew little of what he was looking for, had much to find, and was eager to begin.

His owl seemed to sense this and left her work unfinished that he might begin his, winging through the trees as her human ambled along while skimming the marked pages.

His many days cultivating the gardens on Privet Drive at last paid off as he spent hours kneeling, crawling and picking his way through the forest. So many things going into his baskets, bark and roots, leaves and stems, Hemlock and Clover and all manner of things that grow.

He had just finished plucking a patch of poison toadstools when he was confronted with a familiar face, a long pale horse like face.

"Well look who it is" said Harry, stroking the unicorn at its insistence, "If you're here that must mean…"

"Morning Druid."

The dark-skinned dwarf seemed to appear out of nowhere, directly behind him. That didn't surprise Harry so much as finding Hedwig perched on his arm.

"Are we trading familiars then" Harry quipped.

The dwarf chuckled but Hedwig was not amused and shooed off the unicorn before reclaiming her proper perch on Harry's shoulder.

"I guess not" said the dwarf.

"Just as well, I don't think that one would fit on my shoulder."

The two men laughed till Harry held out his baskets and offered his Dungeon Master some mushrooms. Then it was just Harry who laughed.

"That wasn't funny you know."

"To you, probably not, but my godfather would have been proud."

It wasn't a good reason for doing it, but then again it wasn't a not good reason either.

"So, how was your trip?" the dwarf asked through a scowl.

"Twice as long as it should have been" said Harry, his mirth now tinted with shame.

"Oh, got a little lost?"

"Yeah, well there was a bear, and a cave tried to eat us, river tried to drown us…" Harry petered off as the dwarfs snickering grew louder.

"And… *snicker*, how did you find Daggerhold?"

"On fire."

The dwarf nodded sagely as if this was to be expected.

"Did you see who started the fire?"

Harry nodded, "Pack a goblins. Bit different than the ones from my world."

"Part of a well-balanced horde" the dwarf quipped.

"Should we be expecting more?" Harry asked.

The dwarf shrugged, "Goblins are the quintessential minion. They're not very smart, they're easily led, and they breed like rabbits so there's never a shortage to draw from."

"Wonderful."

"I wouldn't be too concerned. Without solid leadership to keep them organized their discipline falls apart very quickly. Most roving bands pose little danger to even moderately skilled fighters."

Harry pondered the dwarf's words for a moment before coming to the obvious conclusion, "Someone else sent that bunch to attack Daggerhold."

"That's probably a safe assumption" the dwarf hedged.

Harry scowled, "Would it kill you to just say yes?"

"Maybe."

"Prik!"

"Right. What she said" said Harry.

"What did she say?"

"No idea. But I know she was right."

The dwarf had no retort for that, so he just laughed, "I bow to an intelligence far greater than my own."

Never one to decline a compliment the regal owl puffed up proudly, much to her human's amusement, "Should I be expecting an attack in the near future?" Harry asked, doubting he'd get a straight answer.

"You should always be expecting an attack" said the dwarf, "worlds a dangerous place."

All true, but not what he meant. The dwarf well knew this and decided to throw him a bone, "To my knowledge, most of the goblins in the area were part of that attack. I wouldn't expect to see more, certainly not in force."

"What about minotaur?"

"Oh goodness no. Minotaur aren't natural creatures. Men who became like bulls or bulls who became like men through the power of Typhon, that's what they are."

"Typhon" not a name he was familiar with.

"God of monsters" the dwarf clarified.

"Sounds like a fun guy" said Harry, "should I be worried?"

The dwarf shook his head, "He's not the reason you're here."

"I see" check one off the list, that just left, how many?

As if sensing what was about to come, the unicorn chose that moment to canter off.

"Now where are you going?" the dwarf shouted, chasing after his ride.

Harry watched the odd couple till they were out of sight before letting out a sigh. It's not like he was expecting it, but would it really kill them to just come out and say what they wanted. He was sure they could get whatever it was done much faster if they just knew what it was.

Though perhaps that was the whole point, not for them to achieve some objective but to run around doing things, like clowns at a circus. Harry didn't like that idea and he struggled to clear it from his mind.

He had almost succeeded, some hours later, as he surveyed his heaping baskets and began to consider heading back to town. He'd found everything he needed and in considerable quantities, yet still he hesitated. Lunch had already come and gone, and Hedwig had disappeared some time ago. He didn't know why he was still dawdling.

Taking up his baskets he began the trek back to town. A trek that was suddenly interrupted when a bush began to shake.

"Grrrr!" said the bush.

Harry paused before the growling bush. The bush, sensing it was under observation growled and shook even more. It might have been concerning if the growling didn't sound so off.

"What the bloody hell?"

"Grrrrr! Drop the baskets. Grrrr!"

"Oh really" Harry said, giving the bush an incredulous look.

"Your money too. Grrrrr!"

"I don't have any money" he hated to admit, even while being robbed.

The bush seemed taken aback, "I… I don't believe you. And grrrr."

Staring at the bush, the very silly bush, he wasn't sure how he should feel. Scared? No. Annoyed? Maybe. Curious? Hmm.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but, are you trying to rob me?"

"That's right" the bush replied.

Harry couldn't help but snicker at the earnest response, "Such vicious shrubs in this forest."

"I'm not a shrub" the offended shrub insisted.

"You look like a shrub" Harry countered.

There was a brief pause before the bush began to shake again. This was followed by much grunting, a bit of cursing and then a butt. The butt led the rest of a three-foot humanoid out of the bush, dragging some manner of animal with him.

"There, see, I'm not, a shrub" he panted.

"What are you then?" because Harry had no idea.

"I'm a gnome" he declared.

"Really?" he nodded excitedly, "and what's that?"

The gnome looked down, "Oh that's my minion" he said crouching to pick the beast, "his names Francis, he's a badger. Say hello Francis."

Badger, that was what he'd been looking for, though the rest was, interesting. "Minion huh?"

"Mm hm, he's very ferocious."

Harry wasn't sure he believed the odd little humanoid. The glassy-eyed look he was getting from the badger made him wonder if it was even alive. Then it snorted, so he stopped worrying.

"And you still think you're going to rob me?" Harry asked.

The gnome nodded while giving the biggest grin, "We're bandits."

Looking him up and down Harry tried not to laugh, "I'm sorry, but I found you more intimidating when I thought you were a bush."

"Whaaaat!" the gnome exclaimed, "what is intimidating?"

"Scary."

"Whaaaat! I'm very scary, aren't I Francis?" the plush badger snorted, "There, see."

Harry did see, and he chuckled.

"Ah! I'll show you" the gnome squawked indignantly.

Setting down the badger, he dove back into the bush and came out with a large double-bladed axe. After a brief struggle he managed to raise it above his head.

"There, now what, you think?" the gnome said as he fought to keep the axe aloft.

Chortling inwardly, "Nope. Sorry."

"Wah! I'll show you."

What he was going to be shown Harry didn't know, but he watched anyway as the gnome leaned back slightly throwing the axe off balance. Struggling mightily, his face puffed out and turned bright red, looking like it might explode.

It didn't, mores the pity, and all that struggling finally paid off when he lurched forward and released the axe. The tool performed one full turn before flopping to the ground two feet from Harry's own.

"Ha… now, what do you… think" the gnome wheezed like he was about to pass out.

Harry looked at the axe, then at the gnome, again at the axe, once more at the gnome, "I think I now have your axe Mr. Gnome."

"Huh!" looking at his discarded axe, then at the bush, he quickly reenacted his attempted assault, "Oh. Ehehe, uh oops."

"Idiot!"

"Now he's done it."

"Right! Plan B."

Stumbling out of the bushes, A half-dozen gnomes rushed Harry with a 'fearsome' battle cry. Each carried some small weapon and clearly intended to do him harm. With that understood, Harry did not hesitate to reply in kind.

The sudden flash of the summoning circle halted their advance and eyes went wide when they saw what came out. Two days practice and a full tank of gas made all the difference as two large timber wolves flanked the druid, staring down the gnomes who gaped like pantomime fish.

For one long moment no one moved. The tension stretched taut as a bow string, seconds feeling like minutes. Glinting wolf teeth shown in bulging gnome eyes while perspiration flowed like waterfalls. It couldn't hold, something had to give.

"I think I pooped" right into that guys pants.

With that done, the tension broke and the gnomes fled screaming into the woods. The two wolves followed along, just for fun, and then it was just Harry and the gnome, the first one.

"So, what else ya got?"

The gnome looked around frantically, spotting the badger, "Minion attack" he cried, hurling the cushy mammalian at the unprepared druid.

"Prek!" declared Hedwig, appearing out of nowhere and snatching the badger out of the air.

"Francis!" but it was too late, and the two animals disappeared into the foliage.

"Guess my minion beats your minion. Anything else you'd like to throw at me?" Harry queried.

A small stone bounced of his chest a moment later.

"Really?"

Seeing he was out of options, and ammunition, the gnome decided on the logical course of action, "Yipe!" turning, he ran screaming like a dying old woman. This lasted for about ten seconds before a wooden boom cut him off.

Following the trail Harry found the unconscious gnome lying at the foot of a tree with a gnome shaped indentation in it. Laying like a piece of old road kill with his limbs in the air, Harry could only shake his head at the gnome.

"This has got to be the weirdest encounter I've had all day" he said.

… that evening, at the inn

The sun was setting as Harry strode into the inn and placed his cargo in the open chair before plopping down in his own seat.

"Evening all."

"Harry, is that a badger?" Hermione grumped.

"His name is Francis" said Harry.

"Prek" added Hedwig, hopping off Harrys' shoulder and onto the back of the badger's chair.

"Why do you have a badger?"

"I don't. He belongs to Hedwig."

"The badger belongs to your owl?"

Harry nodded.

While Hermione looked for words, Harry turned to the corpse of Ron Weasley.

"How was your day Ron?"

"Guh."

Harry snickered, "That good huh."

Ron attempted to lift his head several times but, lacking the strength, only managed to bang it against the table. Harry shook his own before turning back to Hermione.

"Don't even ask" she snapped.

"Oooookay" Harry stared at the female like one might stare at a rabid wolverine, preparing to run.

"It's ridiculous. He has an entire library, full of magical books, and I can't read a single one."

"Uh, I'm sure if you just ask…"

"No Harry! I can't read them. Can't. They're written in some absurdly obtuse dialect that I cannot decipher."

"A language you don't know?" Harry asked to clarify.

"That's what I just said isn't it!"

Harry wasn't sure but at least he understood why library time hadn't mellowed her out like he thought it should have, "You could always come forage with me."

"Out in the forest. Are you crazy? Do you know what's out there?"

Harry nodded solemnly, "Gnomes."


	8. Chapter 07

Chapter 07  
Adventure boys, adventure girls

…

*Poke*Poke*

"Well that's not right. He should be able to move."

*Poke*Poke*

"I don't understand what I'm doing wrong."

*Poke*Poke*

"Would you two stop poking him."

Hedwig and her minion, Francis, looked at him for a moment before resuming their activity. It was clear who was in charge here, or at least who wasn't.

Harry sighed, "Really you two."

Having decided poking the stoned ginger was no longer entertaining Hedwig fluttered over to the woodpile. Francis saw his new owner leave and toddled off to join her, flopping down at the foot of the wood.

Shaking his head at the two animals he returned his attention to his petrified friend, "Sorry Ron." he said, canceling the failed spell and releasing the ginger from his snug stone tomb.

"S'alright mate," he said when he could move his lips again, "you'll get it."

"If Hermione was in a better mood she could probably help."

"What is with that girl anyway?"

It was a good question. She'd arrived moody and short tempered. Since her discovery that magic was taught in a language she couldn't read, she'd only gotten worse. She was still squirreled away in the library, but who knew what she was doing, Harry certainly didn't.

"Still, nice of that other girl to show you that spell."

"Claire" said Harry.

"Yeah, Claire. She's kinda cute, ain't she?"

She was at that, though Harry saw no reason to say so out loud, "Ready to try again?"

"Sure, this is the easiest training I've done since we got here."

Harry chuckled, "How'd you warrant a morning off anyway?"

"He had some stuff he had to do. Captain of the guard stuff. Didn't say what it was, and I didn't ask."

"I guess we can ask him now, here he comes."

The Captain of the guard strode purposefully across the wizard's courtyard where they'd been practicing. His expression was relaxed but that didn't appear to make Ron any less nervous.

"Hey boss," he greeted weakly.

"Maggot." the man replied, making Harry snicker, "Druid."

"Captain," Harry said, "can we help you?"

"I'm rather hoping so." he said, surprising the two young men.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"One a the local bits of color's causing trouble." he said.

"Local color?" Ron asked.

"A troll." the captain clarified, "He moved in some years back. Worst he ever done was scare a few people, like you'd expect any sensible person to be if they ran into a troll."

"Right, right." chuckled Harry.

"Sensible." nodded Ron snickering.

The captain gave the two boys a searching look but let their odd behavior go, "Anyway. Over the past few days folks have seen him all over, stealing food and livestock from the small villages around Daggerhold."

"He didn't used to do that?"

"No. He'd always kept to himself, it's why we never went after him. He wasn't doing any harm and the trouble it would have been taking him down, well. Even before that attack I didn't much fancy our odds."

"But you think we might do better" guessed Harry.

"You two alone probably have more real combat experience than anyone within twenty miles a here, cept maybe me. And I'm not quite ready for that sort of work" he said, making a careless gesture with his bandage swathed arm.

The two courageous Gryffindor's looked at each other. A troll huh, they both thought. Wouldn't be their first.

"Where can we find him?"

The captain gave a relieved sigh at their response, "While I can't say for sure he'll be there, but I once tracked him to a cave about half a day's travel to the east. That'd be the place to start."

"We'll find him, don't you ow… hey!" Ron squawked.

Apparently poking Ron was entertaining again.

…

"I cannot believe you dragged me out here for this." Hermione complained.

"I can't believe you're still whining about it." said Ron.

"I am not whining!" she shrieked.

"You're here," said Harry calmly, "because we're all in this together. You're here because you are a part of this team and where we go, you go."

Hermione gave him a sour look but said nothing. He'd neglected to mention the other reason she was there, that being no one in town wanted to put up with her. Harry couldn't blame them.

"Are we getting close?" asked Ron.

"Not sure." said Harry, "The wolves definitely picked up on something in that direction. We'll know more when Hedwig comes back."

"And in the meantime, you watch her minion" said Hermione testily.

Harry glanced at the chubby badger in the pack he had slung across his back, "Don't worry Francis, she didn't mean it. She's just crabby."

Hermione hmphed indignantly, "Who are you calling crabby."

Ron snickered, "Crabby."

"Oo, you… boys!"

Ron cackled at her fit of temper, but Harry just shook his head and sighed. They really needed to sit her down and find out what was bothering her, before her antagonistic attitude got one of them hurt.

He'd not long to ponder on the conundrum when his faithful owl returned, giving her minion a quick preen before doing the same for her human.

"Hello Hedwig" he said, indulging her mothering as he so often did.

"Prek."

"Find anything?"

"Prick!" she exclaimed, bobbing excitedly.

"Looks like we're on the trail" he said.

With Hedwig to lead them they found Harry's summoned wolves prowling at the edge of a rocky outcrop littered with bones.

"Think we found it?" said Ron.

"Sure looks that way." agreed Harry.

The two boys stepped into the clearing while Hermione hid behind a large oak, "Do you see him?" she called from the 'safety' of the tree line.

Ignoring her the two boys fanned out to investigate the area. Ron circled around to the opposite side of the clearing where the brush had been trampled repeatedly and branches hung broken or lay where they'd fallen after being snapped clean off.

"Definitely something big coming and going from here." Ron remarked.

"Big, and hungry." said Harry, examining the bone pile and its diverse array of pieces.

The troll clearly wasn't picky. He didn't recognize many of those represented but he did see many, many rats. Normal size and a larger version. Rabbits, something with sharp teeth, a fox perhaps, and what he thought might have been a deer.

"He must still be around," said Harry, "some of these still have scraps on them, and their still springy."

"Great! So where is he?"

He suspected they were about to find out when a flock of birds scattered from the trees not far from where they were, "Ron!"

The youngest Weasley son retreated from his examination to come stand near Harry. A great ruckus sent more birds to flight and in short order they got their first look at the troll.

"Don't look much like the last one." said Ron.

The troll was powerfully built, easily seven feet tall with a hunched back and arms as thick around as Ron's waist. The face was broad and squashed with a bulbous nose, beady eyes mostly hidden under thick, heavy brows and a pair of small tusks jutting up from its lower lip. A mane of thick, coarse black hair covered the top of its head and draped across its back.

"Hermione! Get that acid ready." Harry shouted.

Simon had supplied them with several bottles of powerful acid. It was one of the few things that could hurt a troll that it couldn't rapidly regenerate from.

Also, trolls could apparently regenerate.

Harry wasn't sure the ones back in their world could do that, but it hardly mattered, this one could.

The troll stalked into the clearing and stopped. He looked at them confused, like he just couldn't puzzle out why they were there. Not being one of great intellect the troll did what he usually did. He took a deep breath and let out a mighty frightful bellow.

The roar shook the trees and everything that hadn't already fled did so with great haste. Everything but the humans, one owl and a plush badger. The two boys tensed, expecting an attack. Hermione wailed like a dying old woman, something she would vehemently deny later, while hugging her tree for dear life.

When the troll finally ran out of air they were still there, leaving the troll positively flummoxed.

"What, is that it?" asked Ron.

The troll babbled something incoherent, looking at the same time confused and nervous.

"Can you believe this guy?" said Ron while Harry stared intently at the nervously mumbling troll.

Things weren't adding up. They'd found the troll, and he certainly fit the description. But looking at the big babbling brute, Harry just could not imagine him suddenly resorting to theft after years of honest living. There was something else at work, something they weren't seeing.

Right on cue, another roar came echoing from behind the troll who flinched timidly.

What the French toast?

They were joined moments later by a second troll, a female, standing a head taller than the male and snarling like an angry boar.

"And it all falls into place" said Harry.

"Uh, Harry?" said Ron, nervously eyeing the pair of hulking green monstrosities.

"Yeah."

"I think I need a bigger sword" ah that Ron, always with the witty quips.

Snarling viciously the female troll rushed them. Both the boys saw it coming and simultaneously made their move. Ron came in, shield raised, and smashed into her side. She was much bigger than him and even with his full weight thrown at her she only staggered a little, shoving him aside and continued toward Harry.

Harry was ready for her, the little stagger working to his advantage, lining up a powerful swing to the head which cracked like a gunshot when it connected.

Properly staggering now, the female bellowed in a mixture of pain and anger. An odd whimper, followed by several grunts directed at the male drove him to action, and he started loping in their direction.

Harry turned his staff to the male troll and cast a summon, pulling out two new wolves that intercepted the male before he could reach them. The female, disgusted by how easily her counterpart was corralled, swatted a charging Ron aside before going after a distracted Harry.

Being slightly quicker on the reflex than Ron he avoided the forward swing, only to go flying off the backswing.

"Harry!"

Hermione stood shaking behind her tree watching the battle deteriorate.

"A little help Hermione." Harry shouted, picking himself up while Ron fought to give him some breathing room.

"What am I supposed to do?" she cried.

"Play'em some music." he shot back angrily.

"This! This thing!" she screamed, throwing her instrument furiously to the ground.

A shrill pitch, inaudible to human ears, rang out from the instrument. The trolls cried in surprise and covered their ears while the wolves whimpered and cowered. Squirming around on Harry's back Francis made an odd noise Harry didn't know how to interpret.

"Was that so hard?" said Ron, coming in high with his sword and burying it in the she-trolls bicep.

Crying out for a new reason she shook Ron off and stood there snarling. The humans watched in astonishment as the gaping wound sealed in a matter of seconds.

"The bloody hell?!"

"Duh, trolls regenerate" Harry recalled, "apparently very fast."

"So how are we supposed to kill it?" asked Ron, who found himself under attack before he could get an answer.

"Hermione, the acid!"

They had four jars of the corrosive liquid, and a lot of troll to cover. With Ron playing distraction the other two came up behind her and popped the lids.

"Ron! Back!"

Harry's warning served the dual purpose of getting Ron out of harms way and turning the she-troll their direction.

"Now!"

The female brute had less than a second to look surprised before the acid splashed across her face and began melting the expression right off it. Her wail of anguish had everyone flinching back. Watching the acid work was no easy task either.

Not only did the powerful corrosive prevent regeneration but it caused her skin to slough off in gooey clumps revealing the bone and melting muscle beneath.

The wail never let up and the three teens were unable to break from their shock long enough to do something. Surprisingly, it was the male troll who stepped forward to silence her. Grabbing a huge stone, he hurled it at the keening she-troll, crushing her top half beneath the massive slab of rock.

An eerie silence fell, filled only by the panting of those present. Unsurprisingly, it was Ron that broke the silence.

"Bloody hell!" eloquent, ain't he.

The troll nodded his agreement which brought all attention back to him and he wilted under their stares. He cowered when Hermione pulled out another jar of acid.

"No Hermione." Harry said.

"What? But Harry…"

"No, Hermione." he repeated more forcefully.

"Mate, you sure?"

Harry nodded, "He won't be any more trouble, will you?"

The troll was quick to plead its innocence. Harry couldn't understand a thing it was saying but he got the gist. He understood.

"Prek! Prek!"

"Hedwig? What is it girl?" he asked.

His owl danced about anxiously, looking to a spot in the tree line. Calling his wolves to him he approached the spot that seemed to have agitated his familiar.

The troll followed and stood behind Harry as the wolves sniffed at the area and began to growl.

"Someone was watching us," Harry surmised, "find it" he commanded.

The wolves each took a step forward before vanishing like a heavy mist.

"Damn it!" he cursed.

"Timed out." said Ron.

"And I don't think I have enough magic left to call more." said Harry, beginning to feel the pain of the fight now that the adrenaline was wearing off.

"You think he knows?" asked Ron.

"Might." said Harry, wondering if he was ready for a game of charades.

…

Panting through the forest the goblin ran. Bad. It was bad. He'd been sent to give the trolls new orders and he'd gotten there just in time to see the nasty she-troll get hers. Not that he much minded that personally, nasty bitch, but it was the she-troll that kept the he-troll in line, so it was a problem. Then the stupid bird had snitched on him and he'd had to run for it.

Now he had to tell her. She wouldn't be happy, but he had to tell her. If he didn't and she found out he didn't he'd really get it, so he ran, all the way to her hidden hut.

"Aunty Hag, Aunty Hag" he cried as he came within sight. She didn't like visitor's, but surprise visitors were doubly detested, so he made sure she knew he was coming, "Aunty Hag, Aunty Hag!"

Grumbling and cursing, the decrepit looking crone emerged from her hut, "What! What is it? Didn't I send you to do something!"

Gasping for breath, the goblin gave his account of the she-trolls demise and everything he'd seen before being forced to flee.

"Damn!" the hag swore, once he'd finished, "First the minotaur and now the trolls."

"The boy troll's still there." the goblin reminded.

The hag waved him off, "Without the female to keep him in line he'll be of no use to me."

"So, what do we do?"

The hag hemmed and hawed for a time before giving the goblin a searching look, "You said you saw these humans, with your own eyes?"

The goblin nodded.

"Clearly?"

Again, he nodded.

"Hmm, I think it's time I dealt with these humans myself and finish the job your kin were too useless to. And you're going to help me."

"How?" he asked, his blood running cold at her wicked smile.


	9. Chapter 08

Chapter 08  
Adventure Hour

…

A lone figure stalked through the woods as the sun dipped low on the horizon. It was female in shape, but gnarled and twisted, a hag by any definition. Silence fell at her approach. The small things of the forest shrank in fear at her passing. She paid them no mind. Her thoughts were focused elsewhere, on other things, humans.

There were few things a hag hated more than humanity. To see them suffer was the hag's greatest pleasure. But that wasn't what she was after, not this time. This day's work called for something more severe, permanent.

She grumbled quietly to herself as she trudged through the forest. She hated being so far from her hut. It made her feel exposed. She was easily a match for anything in the forest, and more than a match for the average human. But the group that had killed the she-troll were far from average. If they spotted her before her work was done, she would be in danger. She didn't like that, not one bit.

A caw from a nearby tree drew her attention to a large crow. The crow was one of hers. She knew by the size and the eyeball it carried in its beak, "You've found them?"

The crow cawed in response.

"Show me" she said, holding out her hand.

The crow dropped the eyeball into her open palm and a rapid replay of its journey ran through her mind. The trip to Daggerhold was monotonous and thankfully brief. Hopping around Daggerhold she finally found what she was looking for.

The three humans were silhouetted in red. The fool goblin hadn't been lying. Too bad for him.

"Take this" she ordered, handing back the eye, "fly to the wall nearest the forest and wait."

The crow cawed once, plucked the eyeball from her hand then flew off to fulfill the command.

The old wretch cackled quietly to herself, "Good, and now for you my little friend" she said, taking a small wooden statuette from her pocket.

…

"It's not right I tell ya, not right at all" Ron complained as they stumbled away from the fort, "He had to be faking it. There's no way he could do all that otherwise."

"You mean kick your butt all over the training ring" snickered Harry.

"Don't think I wasn't awake to see him do the same to you" Ron shot back with a smirk.

"I've never claimed I knew how to fight with a stick" said Harry, "I've never claimed I knew how to fight at all."

"It shows."

"Ah shut up Ron."

The two boys chuckled as they dragged their battered behinds and bruised egos toward the tavern. Hermione was already there, pouting no doubt, but they were both willing to put up with that for the promise of food.

"So whadaya think we should have tonight?"

"Don't care," said Ron, "as long as there's meat in it."

"Here, here!"

They were in a jovial mood, despite their bruises, which was shattered suddenly by an earsplitting roar. Turning toward the source the two boys watched a massive form smash through the wall like a rampaging rhino.

"Oh bollocks."

The creature roared again, just in case anyone in town missed it the first time. Those that hadn't were already scrambling into the closest shelter, except of course for Ron and Harry.

"Why does it feel like we're outnumbered?" asked Ron, drawing his sword.

"Because you can count" said Harry, staff at the ready.

Facing the massive monster, its leonine visage stared at them with savage hunger. The goat head bleated and looked them over with its strange eyes and the serpent tail bobbed back and forth never losing sight of the two adventurers.

Taking the initiative, the chimera charged, lion teeth bared. Harry responded with a vicious swarm, a wall of hornets. The goat head bleated once then belched a massive gout of flame that turned the hornet wall to ash.

Harry backpedaled while Ron came in swinging his sword. It took the lion head in the mane doing no damage and putting him in range of the lion's teeth. Trying to take a bite out of him got it nothing but a mouthful of shield.

"Harry, this isn't working. YIKE!" the surprise attack at his unprotected flank was countered by a panicked flail, only just saving him from the serpent heads bite.

Having its fill of shield the chimera body-checked Ron, knocking him off his feet while disarming him at the same time. Looking into the savage eyes, and more importantly, teeth, Ron was certain his end had come. The universe however was not done with him.

"SPOON!"

With that declaration an armored figure came charging into the fray. His heavy metal shield smashed the lion head and the beast staggered back in shock.

"Heaven's Wrath!"

A crackle of static was the only warming they had before the chimera was engulfed in a glowing orb of lightning. A brilliant flash and the sound of thunder drown out a pained cry and when the lightning vanished the chimera wobbled, dazed and smoking but still alive.

"Hardy bastard. Well, get up maggot, fights not over yet" The Captain ordered offering his hand to Ron.

"Got another one of those handy Simon?" Harry asked as the wizard came to join them.

"I'm afraid not" he replied, "It was only luck I had that one prepared."

"Looks like he's on his last leg anyway" the captain observed, "We got this."

The way it convulsed and twitched it seemed a safe assumption. That all changed when a strange energy coursed through its body then exploded outward in a furious wave. All signs of ailment were gone, and its various eyes glowed with unholy light.

"Shite!"

"You just had to tempt fate."

"Oh, shut up Simon."

"Now what?" said Ron.

"Here" said the captain, handing the unarmed fighter the small axe from his belt, "I'll keep the teeth busy, you go for the neck. You two keep that goat head from barbequing us. Ready, go!"

Without waiting for a reply, the captain charged, Ron dashing after him. The chimera met them halfway throwing its considerable bulk against the captain's shield. Thrown back he never lost his balance and he was charging in again as soon as his feet hit the ground, shoving his shield in the lion's face.

"Now maggot!"

Ron was on the beast in an instant swinging the axe with both hands. His strike was good and bit into the chimera's flesh. The lion head tried to come about and confront him, but the captain would not allow, stabbing around his shield held firmly against the lion's head.

Ron was winding up for another hit when the forgotten serpent head struck. Ron saw it just before it latched onto his throat and clamped down. Ron struggled, sure the fangs had punctured something important.

The fangs ground against his skin but refused to penetrate. Abandoning the axe, he tried to pull it off and that's when he saw it. His skin, normally peachy smooth was gray as gravel, pebbled and coarse.

"Ha, thirty seventh times the charm" he heard Harry shout.

Realizing what had happened, he redoubled his efforts, breaking the snakes jaw and tossing it away, hissing furiously.

Snatching up his axe he went back to work on the body, but it was too late. The chimera had managed to exert its weight and throw the captain off. Ron was body-checked again and landed in a heap, unhurt thanks to his stone skin.

The two melee combatants were preparing for another assault when the binding Simon had placed on the goat head snapped and it belched flames like a drunken dragon.

The captain hid behind his shield while Ron, having nowhere and nothing to hide behind, was bathed in fire. Once again, his new stone hide saved him from harm, though not his shirt which wafted away on the evening breeze, a thin stream of fine black ash.

"Damn it" Harry cursed, "This thing just won't go down."

"Where did it even come from? Chimera aren't natural creatures."

"You think someone sent it?"

"Most likely" said Simon, projecting a magical shield to protect them from the fire.

Up on a nearby roof, a large black crow held a disembodied eye in its beak and surveyed the scene. The bird had no will now, fully controlled by the foreign entity that held sway over it. Still as a gargoyle it sat, unmoving, unperturbed.

If it had possessed its will it might have registered the presence of the other bird. It might have dodged the vicious talons that raked its fragile body, or at least squawked in protest as it was hurled at the druid's feet.

"Hedwig!" Harry exclaimed, surprised by both the crow at his feet and the sudden appearance of his familiar.

"Harry! The chimera."

The three headed beast thrashed about as though in pain. The lion head roared, and the goat belched fire every which way.

"What brought that on?"

"Harry, the crow, there in its beak."

Harry knelt and took the small orb from the beak of the dead bird, "Is that, an eye?"

"Someone's been spying on us" said Simon, "Here, give it to me."

Simon took the eye in one hand, cupping the other over it. A few muttered words and his hands were engulfed in flame. The chimera bayed in confusion and fury.

"What the hell?"

"Whoever is spying on us must be controlling the chimera as well."

The wizard clapped his hands together then a quick rubbing and he threw them open, spreading ash into the air. The destruction of the spying eye did nothing to quell the chimera who continued to thrash about madly spewing flames on anything it got near.

"That thing'll burn down the whole town if we don't stop it." shouted the captain as he and Ron joined Harry and Simon.

Before they had time to consider a new plan of attack a strange sound filled the air and a long shadow fell across the ground. The four men looked up just as a massive shape crashed down on the back of the chimera. A sickening snap was drowned out by the booming crash and the four braced against the shockwave.

"Bloody hell" Ron said, expressing the feelings of the whole group.

Squatting on the broken back of the chimera, a familiar figure stood. Familiar to Ron and Harry at least.

"Well look who it is." said Ron.

"That our local bit a color?" asked the captain who had never seen the troll himself.

The troll spotted the four of them and instantly recognized Ron and Harry. Stepping off the dead beast it pointed past the gaping hole in the wall and roared a single word.

"HAG!"

Ron and Harry were confused but Simon looked like a light bulb had just gone on.

"Of course, that explains it."

"What?" the two boys blurted together.

"Hags detest humans, inherently," the wizard explained, "They thrive off misery and pain. Their notorious for working with goblins and monstrous things."

"Are you saying that she-devil is out there?" the captain demanded of the troll.

The troll nodded vehemently.

"She was connected to both those, the chimera and the crow when they were killed. Doubtless having that link severed so violently has left her dazed."

"We should go after her now then." said Harry to which the others nodded their agreement.

"Well what are we standing around for!" barked the captain.

"Can you lead us to her?" Simon asked the troll.

The troll nodded and beckoned them to follow. Taking off at a lope the four men followed the troll into the darkness as the last rays of daylight faded away.

…

A haggard figure stumbled through the forest, curses flowing from her lips like water from an ugly fountain. It was impossible, unbelievable. The chimera should have made short work of them, even with the assistance of the wizard and the old man-at-arms they should have been no match for the three headed beast.

Worse still, since the death of her spy preceded the death of her monster, she had no idea how they'd done it. All she knew was they most certainly had, she'd felt that.

And now she was running. Her head ached, and her body cried for rest after the ordeal of losing two bonded creatures within minutes of each other, but she couldn't stop. If they caught her, they would kill her, no question.

There was only one thing to do. She had to make her hut. If she could get to the special scroll she could escape with her life. She'd lose everything else, but it was a sacrifice she was willing to make. Things could always be replaced.

…

"Are we getting close?"

The troll nodded an affirmative as he thundered along ahead of Harry. It was just the two of them that drew near to their quarry. The others had started flagging after fifteen minutes, Simon falling first. He'd thrown a tracking spell at the troll and told them to keep going with assurances that he would catch up.

The man-at-arms had gone next, blaming his age and shortly after Ron had tripped on a protruding root and faceplanted into the ground. Still wearing the stone-skin he wasn't hurt but Harry hadn't waited around to laugh at him.

Hedwig was around somewhere, he'd no doubt, but he didn't have time to ponder on it as he bounded through the darkness with the troll. His breathing was hard and heavy, and the drums beat a frantic tempo in his ears. He was reaching his physical limit.

Quite suddenly a great ruckus exploded from the trees around them. A hundred beady red eyes glared, and sharp wicked beaks cawed angrily at their passing.

"Must be almost there." Harry thought aloud.

A moment later he was proven right when they burst into a clearing and spotted a small thatch hut. An individual was just stepping out of the hut when they spotted each other and for a moment everyone froze.

This was Harry's first look at the originator of all the recent trouble. She was a spindly gnarled looking thing, like someone had put a face on a piece of old driftwood and soaked it in vile.

Gathering her wits, the hag bolted, looking to resume the chase. Harry was sick of running and wasn't sure what he'd do if he did catch her. The wolves wouldn't have that problem. Pointing his staff, he cast his most powerful summoning to date.

It was not one or two wolves that sprang from the ether but a whole pack, nine full grown wolves lunging at the single grotesque female. The sight was just as impressive as it sounds. So was the explosion that destroyed them all in a single strike. Harry didn't know where she got the glowing red vial and he never had the chance to ask.

By the time the explosion had cleared the hag was leaping through a glowing blue hole that vanished as soon as she was through. Harry leaned heavily against his staff as the quiet began to sink in and the adrenaline that had been holding him up drained away.

They'd lost her. They'd failed.

"Well shit."


	10. Chapter 09

Chapter 09  
Adventure Ahoy

…

Rank. Putrid. Sulfur mixed with the stench of a thousand rotting dead. The hag breathed it in, a balm to soothe her frazzled nerves. She had escaped the grasping hands of death, only to be brought to her master's doorstep.

In hindsight, maybe being torn apart by wolves wasn't so bad.

Too late to go back she followed the stones rising from the wretched bog leading to a large thatch hut, glowing in the murky dark. Her presence had been noted. If she ran now, she'd be caught and dragged before her master.

With growing trepidation, she pattered across the wet stone path, halting at the door of the hut. Light shown through the cracks and the hag felt each beam as a ray of fire. Fear stole her momentum and she was ready to turn and flee when a voice from within called out.

"Enter."

The door opened a crack, light leaping through the gap like a frightened rabbit, as though it too feared to be inside. Unable to flee the hag was compelled to enter.

The inside of the hut was well lit. A dozen, dozen candles were scattered all around, standing and hanging from every available surface. A medium sized cauldron in the center of the room simmered quietly with something that smelled like meat, stew perhaps. Sitting behind the cauldron, absently perusing an old looking scroll hovering before her face was a woman, a beautiful woman.

She appeared as a youth in fullest blossom but there were hints in her smoky eyes and full plump lips that spoke of a certain maturity. Her hair was jet-black, wild and unkempt but artistically so. It trailed across her shoulders like a shadowy mane, drawing attention to the fullness of her bosom, barely covered by the spotted dirty cloth wrapped about her torso.

Her skirt too was little more than a filthy bit of fabric thrown on for covering. Her working cloths, they did nothing to detracted from her beauty, very little could.

But the hag knew better than to be fooled by such appearances. This was no peasant wench playing at a witch or some silly dolly mop of a girl that fancied herself a sorceress. No, this was Kumbra. This was her master. She fought to hide her trembling.

"Your back," said Kumbra blandly when the hag could not muster the courage to speak.

"Yes," the hag managed to choke out.

"I take it there were problems."

The hag made several aborted attempts to say something, growing more frantic with each failure. Her withered old heart nearly beat right out of her chest when Kumbra turned a single eye from her scroll to her minion.

"Speak."

The words spilled from her mouth like a flood, quick, frantic, and ultimately destructive. She rambled out every detail she could think of till nothing remained in her brain to speak and she stood panting like a second-place marathon runner, exhausted and broken.

Kumbra stared at the quivering wretch for a time as she put together the pieces from her near incoherent babbling. The picture she constructed did not please her.

"So, you failed is what you're saying. Completely and utterly."

"Please, master, have mercy," the hag begged, falling to her knees in prostration.

Kumbra rolled her eyes at the show of fealty, rising with serpent grace and slowly stalking toward the hag.

"When I set you this task you assured me you could do it. With ease, you claimed." The hag whimpered at every gentle footfall as Kumbra circled her like a hungry tiger, "I invested considerable resources to make it as simple as possible. Potions, scrolls, even one of my precious totems, not to mention giving you command of that minotaur and the troll."

She was about to die. The hag was sure of this. If her master did not kill her it felt as though her chest might simply implode. A feeling that grew when her master stopped circling and loomed right in front of her.

"Now you tell me all these things are gone. The minions, the materials, my totem. And what have you to show for all this? Nothing. All the bodies you collected, gone. Likely destroyed. A complete wash."

"Please… master." The hag wept pathetically, her fear overcoming any sense of pride or dignity.

Kumbra gave a disgusted sigh at this, "Useless," she said dismissively, "I've half a mind to scorch you to ash and dump you in the bog."

The hag said nothing, what could she say? Clutching her aching chest, she waited for it to come. But it didn't.

"Oh, stop your cowering, I'm not going to kill you."

"Wha, you aren't?" It seemed too good to be true.

"You clearly can't be trusted to command, but it would be wasteful to simply kill you. I may yet find a use for you."

She got to live. It was almost impossible to believe. So distracted by her elation she never noticed the intricate circle hidden on the floor begin to glow till it was too late.

"Imbecile," Kumbra complained once the spell was complete.

Reaching down she retrieved the small wooden totem and examined it. It was twisted and ugly, a perfect facsimile of the hag, "You have needlessly complicated my plans," Kumbra told the little wooden figure, "but, I suppose there is no helping it."

Marching across the room she put the totem in a small cloth bag while retrieving a smooth spherical crystal from the same.

"Now, time to retrieve my property. Where are you little chimera? Where are you?"

…

"Sleel Bay!"

"Ah, was that really necessary?"

Hermione's exclamation, too close to Ron's ear, heralded their arrival at the most recent stop on their journey.

"Least she's in a better mood," Harry whispered as the bushy-haired girl very nearly skipped down the street.

"Good for her."

After driving off the hag they had looted her hut and come away with a small trove of magical items. Hermione, after realizing what they were, immediately laid claim to all of it, despite having no involvement in the chimera fight or ensuing chase of the hag.

But that was okay, both Ron and he agreed. Ron saw no need for magic with his current vocation and Harry was working on his own things. Let her have them, it made her happy which made her easier to deal with. Everybody won.

She was a little miffed when she found out the scrolls were one offs, and Harry had been forced to take away the small chimera statuette as her inability to figure it out had been putting her back into the old foul temper they'd just gotten her out of.

She'd pouted a bit but then he'd told her they were leaving Daggerhold and Simon had mentioned the library in Sleel Bay, and she was all sunshine and smiles again.

"I'm just glad we're finally here," said Ron, "No more sleeping on the ground."

"Wasn't so bad," said Harry.

Ron glared, "You say that when you're not using the fat badger as a pillow."

"Don't listen to him Francis, you're not fat, just big boned." Harry chortled while Ron feigned exasperation to hide his chuckles.

He may have been Hedwig's minion, but it had somehow fallen to Harry to be his caretaker. Sort of made you wonder who was really in charge.

Oh, who are we kidding.

"At least the trip from Daggerhold was less, eventful, than the trip to Daggerhold," said Harry.

"Longer though," said Ron.

"Only by a week."

"Only?"

"Right!" The boys came to a sudden halt at their friend's exclamation, "I think we should split up, we'll cover more ground. I'm going this way. We'll meet at that tavern back there after lunch," and before another word could be said, she was gone.

"Ya get the feeling she's been planning this?" said Ron.

"From the moment she found out there was a library."

"Mm, priorities Harry, priorities."

Harry grinned at his friend's assessment, "She may be in for a rude surprise. Simon said there was a small fee to get in."

"Yeah, they gave us some money."

"I just wonder if Simon's idea of a 'small' fee might be a little different than Hermione's."

Ron caught on to Harry's train of thought and snickered, "Kinda glad she ditched us now. What'cha think?"

"I guess splitting up isn't the worst idea. Big town."

As a minor trading port, Sleel Bay made Daggerhold look like a quaint little hamlet.

"Don't let the pickpockets get'cha," Ron teased, before wandering off down the street.

Harry shook his head and turned down another. He wasn't worried about pickpockets. He had a squashy badger guarding his money.

The street he chose carried the strong scent of salt and a short walk found him on the wharf. A strong breeze carried the scent of the ocean inland and Harry stood for a time reveling in the wind against his skin.

"Prek."

Smiling when his familiar announced her presence, "Hello Hedwig. Enjoying Sleel Bay?"

She made several non-committal noises before alighting on his shoulder and beginning to groom him. Chuckling at her mothering he began a slow measured walk down the wharf toward the beach. The last time he'd been this close to the ocean he'd not had a proper chance to enjoy it. Now he could, or so he thought.

A commotion on the beach drew his attention to a congregation of men. Having nothing better to do and sensing the fear and tension even at a distance he decided to investigate.

Drawing near he could just make out a man lying in the middle of the ring of people with a small boy kneeling at his side crying.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Jack's been bitten," someone replied.

"By what?"

"A sea snake, big one."

Harry didn't know what constituted a 'big' sea snake. Probably not as big as his 'big' snake, though the sea snake bite did explain why he was lying on the ground.

"Let me through!" Harry barked, and men leapt to obey, clearing him a path.

The man was shivering and grasping at his arm where two necrotic looking holes marred the otherwise tanned skin. Harry was no physician, but he could still see the man was in a bad way. He lay down his staff and pack and went digging in one of the side pockets.

"Dad. Dad, please," the boy begged his father, confused and frightened.

His father clearly wanted to comfort him but with death's bony hands creeping around his neck he could only fail and fail with every weakening attempt.

"Dad, don't die, you can't," the boy cried.

"He's not going to die," said Harry, a harsh stony expression on his face as he knelt beside the man, holding a small vial of purple liquid, "drink this," he ordered and poured the vial down the man's throat.

He choked it down, whimpering as his pain only continued to grow. The potion appeared to take effect as the man began to calm, until he went completely limp, life failing entirely.

"Dad. DAD! No, he's he's…"

"No!" Harry shouted and struck the man hard on the chest, right over the heart.

Everything tensed, and the man shot up gasping for breath.

"Dad!"

The man sat, gasping and dazed as his son clung to him like a lifeline.

"I… what happened?" he asked, bewildered.

"A father should not be allowed to die till his son is a man." There was a hard-edged to his tone, almost threatening when he said, "Your work is not done."

The somber moment was interrupted when men began panicking, shrinking back rapidly from something slithering through the sand. Harry heard it speaking to itself and recognizing immediately the hissing tone of a snake.

The sea snake that had bitten the man he'd just saved approached with pompous arrogance, men leaping away in understandable terror. He could have tried talking to the snake, asking it to leave. It didn't seem likely it would work and since he was still channeling his inner field commander the idea never even crossed his mind.

A single sharp gesture and his staff flew into his hand. Pointing the staff, he cast his spell and the snake froze. Everyone stared as he approached and picked up the petrified reptile, its skin an odd patchwork of rock.

"Never thought getting so much practice doing a spell wrong would come in handy," he said to himself before turning to the crowd of gawkers, "There anybody in town who'd maybe wanna buy this?"

…

"Well, well, well."

"Oh, shut up Ronald."

Arthur Weasley's youngest son smirked as he sat down next to his bushy-haired friend, "What's a matter? Library not as big as you hoped."

"Ten gold" she snapped, slamming her fist against the table, "Ten gold just to get in the door. That's highway robbery!"

He snickered at her fuming. It was just so like her to get mad about something so stupid as a library.

"Afternoon wanderer's," Harry greeted, "what's her problem?"

"She's mad she has to pay for her books," said Ron.

"Oh, stuff it!"

Harry shook his head but didn't bother probing, he had bigger fish to fry, "Hope you're not comfortable cuz we gotta go."

"What, why?" asked Hermione, suddenly nervous.

"I got us a job. Come on let's go," he said.

"Harry, wait up."

…

"So, explain this to me again."

Harry sighed at his friends lacking attention, "It's really quite simple. After I saved the fisherman, I took the snake to a collector. The collector, who also happened to be a wealthy merchant, had a shipment setting out that was short on guards. After I told him about what we did in Daggerhold he offered to hire all three of us as guards on his third ship."

"The bird," said Ron, "there was a bird in there somewhere."

"The ship is called the Black Gull."

"That's it."

"Got it now?"

"Nope."

Sigh, "Well I'm not explaining it again."

"Aw come on Harry." The Druid was unmoved by his friend's plea and he led them down the docks to their waiting ship.

"Is that it?" asked Hermione when Harry stopped.

"Iss not as big as that Durmstrang ship," said Ron.

It wasn't, Harry was certain it was bigger in fact. For all the cargo that was being brought aboard it would have to be.

"Well hello there," someone purred.

The trio looked up to find a woman leaning over the rail staring at them through half lidded eyes. Two of them at least.

"Good afternoon," Harry said politely, trying not to stare.

Ron was not so disciplined and stared openly. And who could blame him.

Everything about her body language flouted her sexuality. From her magnificent breasts to her smoky come-hither look. Even her cleanly shaved head did nothing to detract.

"You must be the guards Saul hired," she observed with flirtatiously battle eyelashes, "how charming."

Ron attempted to say something that came out a garbled mess which made Hermione glare and the flirty woman titter.

"Boys," Hermione growled.

"Sorsha! Who're you talking to?"

The woman, Sorsha, looked over her shoulder than shrugged, "Boys," she replied.

"Oooo, I like boys," the voice said excitedly before zipping into view and nearly falling over the rail, "Hi boys!" she chirped.

Harry chuckled and waved at the excitable female, almost missing the feline ears and slanted eyes.

"What's this, you two dames causing trouble already."

The group on board grew from two to three as a young but weathered looking man stepped up to the rail.

"You're so mean captain, you make Merle angry. Hiss, hiss."

The captain gave the feline female a flat look then flicked her on the nose.

"Eek!"

"Crazy dames," he mumbled before turning his attention to the trio on the dock, "You the lot Saul sent me?"

"Yes sir, captain," Harry replied promptly.

The man nodded, "Good. Come aboard and we'll get you squared away. We'll be leaving as soon as all three ships are loaded."

The three teens proceeded up the gangplank, past the cheerful feline and her leering companion.

"Hey Harry," said Ron, "I got a good feelin about this trip."

And the universe did cackle merrily.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
Sailing for Adventure

…

Smoke rose from a small hut sitting in the middle of a reeking bog. In this hut sat a woman, hunched over a crystal orb, staring at images from hundreds of miles away.

"The western sea lanes," she mumbled to herself as she observed a trio of ships sailing up the coast.

On the deck of one of these ships she saw a man with tousled black hair and striking green eyes trading blows with a quarter staff against some cat girl. A faint red aura hung around the man.

"He must have it," she said.

She observed the dark-haired youth for a time. He wasn't terrible good with the staff. The cat girl appeared to be instructing him as she lithely dodged around his clumsy attacks. Yet despite how many times he missed or how many times she didn't, he never stopped getting back up.

It was an admirable determination, adorable really, "He is rather cute," she mused, "pity."

With a dismissive gesture the crystal went dark then flew into her bag. Briskly walking to her door, she stuck her head out and gave a sharp whistle before ducking back in to pack.

Throwing everything of value into her bag she was just finishing up when she heard the first body breach the water. Others quickly followed and by the time she'd collected everything and strode out the door they were coming in rapid succession.

Bloated decaying corpses slowly trudged from the water and began to line up on the semi-solid ground. She'd have to wait till they were all out before she could get underway herself.

An undead army really was so cumbersome.

…

"Come on, keep your guard up. That's it."

Harry wasn't so sure it was but at least he didn't get hit again.

Telling Merle he knew how to fight with a stick had been a mistake. She had proved in the first two minutes he was wrong, and in the following hours that he should really learn to keep his mouth shut.

It was the third day of their voyage and after thrashing him for hours the first day while laughing like a goon she'd decided she would teach him to do it right. This involved hitting him a lot, yelling about his guard and laughing like a goon. Whether or not he was actually learning anything was open to debate, even though he was getting hit less. But that could just mean she was getting bored.

He couldn't feel too bad about his situation though. He'd been beaten before, this at least was for a purpose, and he wasn't the only person suffering either.

While Ron had ingratiated himself among the crew by being not especially good at cards, Hermione had discovered the joys of being seasick and was bent over the rail next to Merle's friend Sorsha.

He glanced inconspicuously in their direction and received a rap across on the hand for his effort.

"Gawk later, focus!"

"I wasn't gawking," he protested.

"Oh! You hear that Sorsha? He totally wasn't gawking at you."

"Aww." The tone of her voice and the sound of cloth shifting demanded his attention, look they cried, you know you want to.

The strike came the moment he averted his eyes, but he was ready for it this time. He countered, turned, then swept Merle's feet out from under her.

The cat-girl went down with an undignified 'yipe'. When she looked up, she found the end of Harry's staff inches from her nose.

"Ha!" he declared triumphantly.

His sense of triumph vanished when he saw her smirk, followed by his sense of gravity. A moment later he was lying on his back staring up at the main sail wondering what the heck had happened.

"Ha, ha!" Merle declared from her position next to him, "Thought ya had me huh?"

"Yep."

The cat girl giggled then nimbly flipped over on top of him, "Gonna have to do better than that," she teased, nuzzling noses.

A quick peck on the beak and she bounced up and pranced off. Harry decided he was in a good position for a little contemplating and proceeded to stare at the sky while he waited for 'things' to calm down.

"Have fun?" asked Sorsha.

"He's a surprisingly fast learner," said Merle, joining her flirtatious friend at the rail.

"Cute too," said Sorsha, leering at the oblivious druid.

"A ship full of burly men and he's the one you want."

"Are you accusing me of having bad taste?"

"No," the cat-girl chirped, "I bet he'd be fun. Could make a nice toy if nothing else."

"What'd make a nice toy?" the bushy-haired girl stared blearily at the two women, barely cognizant.

Merle smiled at the seasick bard, an impish hint to the crook of her lip, "I was just thinking this ship would make such a nice toy, ya know. The way it bounces along the waves, up and down and up and down."

"Up and down and up and… oh no."

Merle chuckled wickedly at the sounds of partially digested oatmeal being hurled overboard.

"Merle! That wasn't very nice," Sorsha chastised giggling.

Merle just gave her big-eyed, I'm just a sweet innocent kitty look, and Sorsha burst out laughing.

"You're terrible," said Sorsha, "find somewhere else to sleep tonight. I have an itch that needs scratching."

"It has been three days," Merle observed to herself and the tragically heaving bard.

…

The ship bobbed to and fro as ships are want to do causing Harry to brace against the wall as he left Ron to his latest game of cards. He wasn't really checking on Ron, he was checking on Francis whom Ron was meant to be watching.

It seemed silly to need to watch the plush badger, but they'd let him go the first day on board and later found him in the food stores. How he'd gotten in there was a mystery but since Hermione was heaving chunks off the starboard bow and Hedwig had decided she was a sea hawk and gone fishing, the task of supervising the plush badger was left to the two of them.

He was just coming to the cabin he shared with Ron when a head poked out a few doors down.

"Harry." Never had his name sounded so good.

"Uh, hi Sorsha," he said, pathetically stumbling over his own tongue.

"Harry, could you come here for a second."

"Um, I could," he hedged, not trusting himself to go near the extremely attractive woman without doing something stupid.

"It's just, this thing." A timid blush colored her cheeks, "I can't do it myself. It needs a big strong man to handle it."

Now it was true he had resisted the allure of full grown Veela at a distance, not to mention frequent exposure to a quarter Veela at close range. But that had never stopped him from finding them attractive, quite to the contrary, and he found Sorsha very attractive.

"I, I um…"

"Harry, please." The pout was probably overkill and the fluttering lashes nearly made his heart flutter out his chest.

"Okay," he said weakly, stumbling down the hall to where she stood waiting, "uh, what did you…" he started to ask, only to be grabbed by the shirt and dragged into the room.

…

"Alright, how many?"

"Uh, one," said Ron.

"Gimme two," said Merle.

"Two for the kitty," said deckhand dealing.

"Speaking of, surprised to see you down her after midday. Don't you usually 'catnap' after lunch?"

Merle blew him a raspberry for the catnap crack before turning back to her cards, "Sorsha needed it."

"What, she needed a nap?" Ron asked while the others at the table exchanged looks.

"Weeeeeeell, she's definitely 'using' the bed. But I don't think she's sleeping. Where's your friend Harry by the way?"

Ron opened his mouth then paused as several pieces of information fell into place, certain assumptions were made and the only answer that explained why everyone was snickering was reached.

"That bastard!" And the whole table erupted into laughter.

…

Silently a door cracked open and a stealthy form slipped out, closing it behind. Standing with his back to the door, Harry was at a loss. He'd just… and with a girl, for over an hour. It was something he'd never even dared to dream before. He wanted to shout, holler and whoop and brag to everyone he knew.

"Well hello."

Instead he jumped like a startled cat.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," the big man said, only chuckling a little.

"You didn't, I mean I didn't I, I was um…"

"Oh, I know," he said, "I could hear you all the way down the hall."

Hearing that Harry began to reconsider how much he wanted to brag and decided doing his best tomato impression might be more appropriate.

"Was she good?"

Nope, blow it up, just make the whole head explode.

The big man laughed at his mortification, but it wasn't derisive, "You young ones are such fun to tease," he said, "but, it's fortunate I caught you. I've been meaning to speak with you."

"Me? Why?"

"I like to know a bit about the people I may have to trust my life with." Reasonable. Harry thought, "I've already spoken to your friend Ron at length. Jovial fellow."

That was one way to describe him.

"And your bard, uh, well I'm sure she's very nice when she can remain upright."

Harry snickered, "She's actually been kinda cranky lately. I'm sure this isn't helping."

"She wouldn't be the first person who ever swore off boats," he said, "come, let us have a drink and talk. From what your friend said, yours is a most interesting story."

Harry flinched a little as he followed the man down the hall, "Ron does like to, embellish," he said.

"Don't we all."

Harry smiled at the man's easy humor. It was nice being able to talk to someone older without having to decipher riddles or be wary of their personal baggage. Was this what normal people were like?

Harry was wondering this when he came to the open door and stopped.

"Is something wrong?"

Yes, he wanted to say though he'd no idea why. He saw nothing beyond the door that suggested danger and yet there was something, he couldn't describe.

"Weird," he said aloud then shook his head, "sorry. Not sure what that was about."

Moving forward, a single foot crossed the threshold.

…

The storm arrived without warning shortly before evening, sky rumbling a rolling bass as lightning leapt through inky black clouds. The wind had risen to frightful speeds and rain poured in heavy blinding sheets, pelting the Black Gull mercilessly.

At the helm, Captain Flynn stood stoic against the relentless beat of the elements. It was looking bad, but he'd see it through. He'd never failed to deliver a ship to port and he wasn't about to let a little bad weather ruin that perfect record. He couldn't vouch for the other two, he couldn't even see them anymore, but his ship would get through.

"Captain!" a crewman shouted rushing to the helm, "Sails are secure sir."

"Good man. What of the crew?"

"We almost lost a couple, but we managed to haul'em in before the waves got'em."

"Good. Give'em a shot a rum and see their relieved, no sense giving the waves another crack at'em tonight."

"Aye cap'n. What about you cap'n?"

"I'll be fine," he said, "no sense in…"

"Cap'n?" the crewman asked when his captain abruptly cut off.

"By the gods!" the captain cursed.

The crewman turned to see what had his captain speaking in such a manner and nearly collapsed at the sight. A massive shape, visible even in the inky blackness between lightning flashes, moved with serpentine grace.

"Is that a…" he couldn't even bring himself to say it.

"It is," the captain assured him. "Get those guards up here now. I don't know what good they'll be against that but…"

Yeah, but, thought the crewman. It was about to be all their butt's.

…

Swimming, he was swimming in darkness. Pressure, weight, it was dragging him, down, down. Something was calling. He could feel it pulling, calling, beckoning.

Harry faded into muddled consciousness to a blurry indistinct world, "Where am I?"

"He's awake."

A shuffle of movement, then his glasses were slid over his face and the world clarified.

"Is that better?"

Sorsha hovered in his vision, staring down at him with concern. He tried to move and instantly regretting the action, flopping back down with a groan.

"What happened?"

"You ran afoul of my wards."

The big man appeared in his vision and placed a damp cloth over his forehead, "How do you feel?"

"Crummy," he grumbled, which made the big man laugh.

"This is no laughing matter," Sorsha chastised.

"If his sense of humor is still intact, he'll be fine." Harry smiled a little at the big man's assessment, "And better I'd imagine, without that malignant bit of spirit clinging to you."

"Spirit?" Say what now.

"Mm, yes, my wards are meant to protect against malevolent spirits. They detected the one clinging to you and fought to remove it. Its tether was weak, but it clung tenaciously, that's why you feel so awful. That battle was fought within your body."

"Wonderful," Harry groaned.

"You will be fine," he said. "Now that you are awake, I am confident of that."

Harry was glad to hear it, though it was a small balm to his aching everything. Fortunately, he hadn't long to dwell on it before Merle burst in and shouted, "Sea Dragon!"

The cabin was silent, until, "What's a sea dragon?" Harry asked.

"Death," the man said.

"Oh." Wonderful.

"What the hell is one of those things doing this close to shore," shouted Sorsha.

"Is that unusual?" Harry asked, understanding yet unable to feel the panic of the others.

"Sea dragons are deep sea creatures," said Merle, clinging to the doorframe for support, "Sorsha, the captain wants us all. Vargas, that means you too."

"I am ready," he said, sliding on his helmet with a metallic ding.

"That was fast."

The massive man stood in full shining plate armor. A sword gripped in one hand, a shield in the other, "Shall we?"

Harry grunted as he fought to sit up and Sorsha rushed to his side, "Harry no, you should rest."

"If we're all about to die, I'll do it on my feet," he said. "I can lie down after."

Vargas chuckled which only made Sorsha scowl. This too did nothing to detract from her beauty. Such a cute scowl.

The boat shook violently as they staggered through the hall. Out on deck a hurricane screamed, pelting the boards with fists of hail and sheet after sheet of frigid rain.

If not for its tremendous size it would have been impossible to even glimpse the sea dragon, but Harry did. In that moment he understood what the others were so afraid of. It towered over the ship, dwarfing the tallest mast, eyes glowing like a cat, and Harry had the strangest sense they were staring right at him.

The beast opened its mouth and fired a powerful concentrated blast of water. The group all ducked just in time, the blast taking out a chunk of the ship instead.

"HOLY SHIT!"

"We're all gonna die," Merle cried.

The sea dragon seemed to agree and lined up another shot. The blast came but they didn't die. Vargas stood at the head of the group, shield glowing with holy power, holding back the aqueous onslaught.

"Seems our funeral will be delayed," said Sorsha, flame sprouting from her hands and climbing to her elbows.

When the sea dragon stopped to take a breath Sorsha attacked, pelting it with exploding fireballs. They didn't do much. The rain made even magical fire ineffective and against something so massive, it was like an ant trying to wrestle an elephant.

"That's not working," shouted Merle. "What else we got?"

"I can tank one more of the water blasts but that's it," said Vargas.

"We're done. We're really done Harry… Harry?"

But Harry wasn't listening, not to the hysterical cat girl anyway. There was something on the wind. A voice? A presence. He was barely standing, maybe delusional, but he could feel It beckoning, calling to something deep and primal, elemental. It was coming.

"Harry? Harry?"

The druid looked to the frightened feline and placed his hand on her shoulder, "Merle, MOVE!"

He gave the cat girl a hard shove just before the sky lit up and a stream of lightning descended.

The other three were thrown back by the clap of thunder that exploded when the lightning swallowed Harry up. Even the sea dragon recoiled from the angry finger from the heavens that reached down to touch the young man from another world.

When the lightning withdrew, Harry remained, eyes glowing gold, a crackling aura of electricity surrounding him. The sea dragon observed the phenomenon for a moment then prepared to resume its attack.

Power surged from Harry's open hands before the beast could open its mouth. Volts untold coursed through the serpentine water dragon. Where fire had failed, lightning more than succeeded. The sea dragon screamed and flailed but it could not escape.

Reaching up to the sky when the serpent refused to just die already, Harry called power right out of the storm. Angry hands grabbed at the sea dragon with such elemental ferocity it only took a few seconds and the great serpent sank lifeless below the waves.

Stillness followed its departure, the eye of the storm allowing them a moments respite and a chance to collect themselves.

"Harry? Are you alright?" the cat girl asked the boy with the glowing eyes.

"I…" he said, before the glow faded and he crumpled to the deck.


	12. Epilogue

Epilogue

…

Wind tore over the dark waters throwing up waves higher and higher. Clouds rolled overhead, heavy, dark, ominous. A shape moved within the clouds, and a voice spoke into the darkness.

"Interesting. Very interesting."

Below, a ship bobbed precariously over the waves. Wicked eyes observed extensive but not fatal damage. Wicked lips hmmed in thought.

"It would seem I underestimated him. Or was it just luck?"

Sitting on the back of a giant eagle, Kumbra watched the Black Gull vanish into the darkness. If the storm didn't finish them they'd need to make repairs. Without them they'd never make port.

"That gives me time," she said to herself.

Time to watch. Time to plan. Time to kill.

Leaning over the head of the eagle she whispered a few words in some old dead tongue. A moment later a small statuette flew from the sea and into her hand.

"Won't be using this again soon," she observed and placed the serpentine totem in her bag.

Giving one last look to the ship she spurred her ride forward through the dark and turbulent clouds.

"You, my good druid, may require a more direct hand to deal with. How interesting."

…

Author's note's

…

So, here ends book one of this new series. Enjoying so far?

To those who expressed concerns about Hermione's characterization, particularly compared to her characterization in Harry Potter D&D. I would just remind everyone that they made the jump to their new adventure in very different ways, as well as different times. That sort of thing will change a person's perspective.

Have no fear though. While things will get worse before they get better, it is all for a purpose, I'm not just dumping on Hermione. This poor attitude will lead her to some, interesting, places later in the story. Have you the courage to stay and see.

Next Book: Wild Waves, Wicked Women

The adventure continues.


End file.
